The effect of philosophy-based activities (P4C) on children's critical thinking and perspective-taking skills

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of a philosophy-based education program (P4C) designed for preschool children on their critical thinking and perspective-taking skills. A mixed-method approach was employed, utilizing the explanatory sequential design from mixed-method designs. The study group consisted of 48 children aged 60–72 months, enrolled in six public preschools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in the Ataşehir and Bahçelievler districts of Istanbul during the 2024–2025 academic year. Purposeful sampling was used, with schools selected based on their similar socioeconomic levels. All selected schools were located in mid-level socioeconomic neighborhoods to ensure homogeneity, taking into account the families' income levels. The study followed a quasi-experimental design. The experimental group (n=24) participated in 12 philosophy (P4C) sessions, conducted once a week for 12 weeks, while the control group (n=24) continued with the standard curriculum. The sessions included visual materials and story-based content, structured with the guidance of an expert. Data collection instruments included the Personal Information Form developed by the researcher, the "Assessment Scale for Critical Thinking through Philosophical Inquiry for 5–6-Year-Old Children" developed by Karadağ et al. (2017), and the "Perspective-Taking Test for Children" developed by Aslan and Köksal-Akyol (2016). Qualitative data were obtained through structured interviews with teachers. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25.0. Normality was assessed using the Kolmogorov- Smirnov test, and statistical analyses included Spearman's Correlation, Pearson's Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact Test. Within the framework of the explanatory sequential design, quantitative findings were contextualized through qualitative teacher insights. The findings indicate that the philosophy-based education program (P4C) implemented in the experimental group led to significant improvements in children's critical thinking and particularly in cognitive and affective dimensions of perspective-taking. Strong correlations were observed between philosophical inquiry, language, cognitive skills, and critical thinking in the experimental group. Qualitative data supported these results, with teachers reporting positive developmental changes among children.