Thinking and philosophy education in early childhood: Children are questioning

In this study, it was tried to examine the effects of the activities prepared on the basis of the approach of philosophy for children, social studies and philosophy on children's thinking skills; to gain a new perspective to the teachers and program makers who are the implementers of the program by integrating the thinking and questioning that form the basis of philosophy with education. The study was designed with an action research model because it was long-term and activity-based, the researcher was involved in the process. The research was included observation, pilot and main implementation stages. The observation study was conducted at the end of the term, so there were two participant groups in this study. The study was carried out at a state preschool education institution in the district of Derince in Kocaeli. The study group of in which the observation was consisted of 22 children (11 boys, 11 girls); the study group in which the implementation study was consisted of 19 children (14 boys, 5 girls). "Easily accessible situation sampling" was used in the selection of the participants in the research. In the study, many data collection tools were used, including participant and non-participant observation, document analysis (pictures and activity papers) and interviews. The findings obtained in the study were based on the data of the activities developed within the scope of the philosophy for children approach and the observations that made to describe the current situation based on "philosophy for children". The data obtained within the scope of the study were also interpreted by being subjected to descriptive and content analysis. For the validity and reliability of the study were used the methods such as getting expert opinion, taking part one to one in the process, using different data collection tools. As a result of the observation, it was found that the questions directed to the children by the teacher were mostly based on remembering, question-answer activities were progressed unilaterally, creative thinking and problem solving etc. activities were not sufficiently practiced, although children have these skills, children were not allowed to think, express their opinions and discuss, were used the expression of cause anf effect intensely during the observation period, children usually didn't go beyond the line (color, shape etc.) determined by the teacher in activities, so they were encouraged to think stereotypically. As a result of the implementation, it was observed that children were produced questions based on reason/why, was expressed his/her own opinion after declaring whether he/she disagrees with his/her friend's opinion while discussing a subject, was tried to explain his/her own opinion with the reason, could put forward different opinions, were made determinations about abstract concepts, were exhibited skills such as critical thinking, probabilistic thinking, decision making, the subjects they wonder were especially about nature and the universe, formation, functioning, growth, religion and creation, imaginary elements, were made determinations about the freedom, rules, and existence, good-bad concepts, the phenomenon of war.