The effect of project-based science and nature activities on pre-schoolers' scientific process skills and cognitive domain abilities

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of project-based science and nature activities on pre-schoolers' science process skills and cognitive domain abilities. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 101 children, 51 of whom were in the experimental group and 50 were in the control group. Children were attending a kindergarten in Alanya district of Antalya province in the 2021-2022 academic year. A quasi-experimental design with experimental and control groups was used in the study. "Science Process Skills Test " developed by Şahin and his friends (2018) and "Cognitive Domain Abilities Form" included in the preschool education program (MoNE, 2013) were used as data collection tools. Data were analyzed by using SPSS statistical package program. According to the results of the study, it was seen that the basic scientific process skills and cognitive domain abilities of the children in the experimental group differed significantly from those in the control group. With this finding, it can be said that project-based science and nature activities improved science process skills and cognitive domain abilities of preschool children.