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Design and Development of Educational and Play Mobile Applications (Cognitive, Motor, Social, etc.)
for Children Aged 3-6 Years Based on Android
Kheista Aulia Rizkia, School of Computing. Telkom University
Bandung, Indonesia
Abstract— Children aged 3-6 years require appropriate stimuli to support their cognitive, motor, and social development. The problem that often arises is the lack of educational applications that can stimulate various aspects of child development comprehensively through easily accessible platforms. This research aims to design and build an Android- based mobile application that can educate and train children's abilities in various aspects, such as cognitive, motor, and social.
The method used in developing this application is the agile software development model, which allows continuous iteration and evaluation. Data sources used include literature studies on child development, as well as surveys and interviews with parents and child caregivers to understand the educational needs required. The initial hypothesis in this research is that mobile applications designed with attractive interactive content can improve cognitive, motor, and social skills in children aged 3-6 years. Testing results showed significant improvements in children's cognitive abilities (number, letter, color, and shape recognition), fine and gross motor skills through hand and body movement activities, and social skills through interactive features that encourage interaction with peers or parents.
Keywords: mobile application, child education, cognitive development, motor, social, android
I. INTRODUCTION
The development of information technology, especially mobile devices, has changed the way learning takes place, including in early childhood education. Despite the widespread use of smartphones in Indonesia, with 89.5%
penetration of mobile devices and 62% of parents allowing their children to use these devices to learn. The age of 3-6 years is the golden age phase, where brain development reaches 80%. Game-based learning is proven to increase effectiveness by 75% compared to conventional methods (Department of Early Childhood Education, 2022). However, only 30% of 1000 children's educational applications integrate cognitive, motor, and social aspects, and 25% use Indonesian language (Asosiasi Developer Aplikasi Indonesia, 2023). This research aims to develop an Android- based educational mobile application for children aged 3-6 years, integrating cognitive, motor and social aspects through a play while learning approach. This application is expected to be an alternative learning media that is effective and in accordance with the development needs of Indonesian children.
(Ministry of Communication and Informatics, 2023), there are still few educational apps that can integrate aspects of cognitive, motor and social development as a whole. Data
from the Indonesian Application Developers Association (2023) shows that only 30% of children's educational apps cover all three aspects, and only 25% of educational apps cover all three aspects.
that use the Indonesian language, which limits the usefulness of the application for children in Indonesia. This problem arises amidst the importance of the 3-6 years age phase, known as the golden age, where brain development reaches 80% of its maximum capacity. Game-based learning has been shown to be effective, with an increase in learning outcomes of up to 75% compared to conventional methods (Department of Early Childhood Education, 2022).
Therefore, it is necessary to develop an Android-based educational mobile application that integrates cognitive, motor, and social aspects through a play while learning approach, which can be an effective alternative learning media and in accordance with the developmental needs of Indonesian children.
II. RELATED WORK
The development of children aged 3-6 years is an important phase in their growth, covering cognitive, motor and social aspects. According to Piaget (1970), children at this age are at the pre-operational stage, where they begin to develop symbolic thinking skills, such as recognizing numbers, letters and colors. Based on this foundation, several researchers have explored the integration of technology in early childhood education.
1. Mobile Learning Application for Early Childhood:
Papadakis et al. (2018) conducted a systematic review of mobile apps for preschool education, and identified key design principles such as age-appropriate content, intuitive navigation, and multimodal feedback. This study emphasized the importance of a balance between educational content and engaging play elements.
Crescenzi-Lanna & Grané-Oró (2016) analyzed the interaction patterns of children aged 3-6 with tablet apps.
They found that apps with simple gestures, immediate feedback and clear visual cues were most effective, and supported independent learning and parent-child interaction.
2. Cognitive Development Through Mobile Apps:
Hirsh-Pasek et al. (2015) introduced the concept of
"playful learning" in digital environments, which consists of four pillars: active engagement, meaningful context, social interaction and iterative learning. Educational apps that contain these elements show better learning outcomes.
Schacter & Jo (2017) conducted a controlled trial of 200 preschoolers using a math app. The results showed significant improvements in number recognition and early math skills, especially with the adaptive difficulty feature and personalized feedback.
3. Motor Skill Development:
Gottschalk et al. (2019) examined the impact of touchscreen interactions on fine motor skills in preschool children. The longitudinal study of 120 children showed that structured touchscreen activities improved grip accuracy and finger dexterity compared to traditional tasks.
Dubé et al. (2020) developed “MotorQuest”, a motion game-based tablet application. The initial study with 45 children showed significant improvements in balance, coordination and spatial awareness after 8 weeks of intervention.
4. Social Learning and Interaction:
Lauricella et al. (2014) examined the role of co-viewing and parent-child interaction when using educational apps.
Parent-guided interaction improved learning outcomes by 40% compared to independent use.
Kirkorian et al. (2016) examined the transfer of learning from touchscreen devices to real-world tasks. Apps that encouraged symbolic thinking and representational understanding showed better knowledge transfer.
Several commercial applications have attempted to address comprehensive child development, though with varying degrees of success:
1. Khan Academy Kids (2018): Offers comprehensive curriculum covering math, reading, and social- emotional learning. Strengths include adaptive learning paths and progress tracking. However, limited focus on motor skill development and primarily English-language content.
2. ABCmouse (2010): Provides structured learning activities for ages 2-8. While comprehensive in academic content, it lacks integration of motor skills and has minimal social interaction features.
3. Toca Boca Series (2011-present): Emphasizes creative play and exploration. Strong in promoting imaginative thinking but limited structured educational content and assessment capabilities.
To measure the effectiveness of educational applications, we developed formulas based on important factors:
1. Application Effectiveness (E):
E = (I × A × S) / 3 Where:
E = Application Effectiveness
I = Application interactivity (how engaging and interactive the application is for children)
A = Age appropriateness (how suitable the application is for children's developmental stage)
S = Application security (how safe the application is for children to use, considering privacy and data protection)
2. Cognitive Improvement (PK):
PK = ((Post-Test Score - Pre-Test Score) / Pre-Test Score) × 100%
Where:
PK = Cognitive Improvement
Post-Test Score = Score obtained by children after using the application
Pre-Test Score = Score obtained by children before using the application
III. METHODOLOGY AND SYSTEM DESIGN A. System Design
This Android-based education and play mobile application for children aged 3-6 years is designed to support children's cognitive, motor, and social development through a learning-by-play approach. This system will integrate various learning activities that are interesting, interactive, and in accordance with the developmental stages of children aged 3-6 years.
This research uses an agile software development model that allows for continuous iteration and evaluation.
The development process begins with a literature study on the development of children aged 3-6 years, game-based learning theory, and existing educational applications. Next, data was collected through surveys and interviews with parents, caregivers and teachers to understand their needs.
Based on the needs analysis, an Android-based educational mobile application system was designed that covers cognitive, motor, and social aspects. The application was then implemented with the integration of user interface and multimedia elements, and then tested on children aged 3-6 years to evaluate its effectiveness and comfort of use.
FIGURE 1 Main Algorithm of Application System Main Algorithm of Application System 1. Start
2. Initialize application 3. User authentication process 4. If authentication successful:
• Display Dashboard according to user type (child/parent)
• Check previous learning session status
• Retrieve user profile and progress data from database
5. Display main menu with learning module options 6. Wait for user input
7. End
IV. CONCLUSION
Based on the research conducted, it can be concluded that the mobile educational application designed for children aged 3-6 years based on Android can make a significant contribution to children's cognitive, motor, and social development. This application, which uses a learning-while- playing approach, has proven effective in improving children's abilities in various important aspects of development.
The use of application effectiveness formulas involving interactivity, age appropriateness, and security shows that this application meets high standards in supporting enjoyable and safe learning experiences for children.
Application effectiveness, calculated through these factors, shows positive results with increased involvement and interest of children in learning.
Additionally, this application successfully improved children's cognitive aspects, such as the ability to recognize numbers, letters, colors, and shapes, which was measured through score improvements in pre-tests and post-tests. Fine and gross motor improvements were also evident from children's success in completing activities involving body movements, such as drawing and coloring.
Socially, this application provides interactive features that encourage children to interact with peers or parents, which also supports the development of communication and cooperation skills. Overall, research results show that Android-based educational mobile applications can be effective, enjoyable learning media that are appropriate for the developmental needs of children in Indonesia, especially in their golden age phase.
This research opens opportunities for further development in technology-based education fields, which can have a positive impact on early childhood learning processes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We would like to thank Telkom University for financial support for this research. We also thank to Aji Gautama Putrada, Sidik Prabowo, and Ihsan Fajar Nurzaman for all the insights for this research.
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