The impact of educational digital mathematics activities conducted at home on the early mathematical skills of children aged 60–72 months

The primary aim of this study is to examine the effects of educational digital mathematics activities developed for children who have not received preschool education on their early mathematical skills. The study was conducted with a total of 15 children aged between 60 and 72 months, consisting of 8 in the experimental group and 7 in the control group, within a quasi-experimental design framework. In the research, a pretest–posttest control group model was employed; while the experimental group participated in digital mathematics activities, no intervention was applied to the control group. Data were collected using the Revised Early Arithmetic Test (REAT) to assess changes in children's early mathematical skills through pretest and posttest measurements. The digital activities implemented were short, interactive, and designed to target arithmetic skills. They were carried out individually at home with the active involvement of mothers. Throughout the implementation process, the researcher maintained regular communication with the mothers and provided technical and content-related support when necessary. The findings indicated that the experimental and control groups were at similar levels in their pretest scores; however, posttest results revealed a statistically significant improvement in the early mathematical skills of children in the experimental group. This suggests that educational digital mathematics activities can be an effective tool for supporting children's basic mathematical abilities. The results of the study provide important insights into the effectiveness of home-based digital interventions in early childhood, particularly in expanding early learning opportunities for socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. Furthermore, such interventions, which allow parents to take active roles in the educational process, are expected to contribute to the development of holistic approaches to early childhood education.