Design of an Innovative Pedagogical Strategy Based on Art, Music and Play to Improve Imagination and Creativity in 5- Year-old Children
Published 2026-05-21
Keywords
- child creativity,
- imagination,
- pedagogical strategy,
- neuroplasticity
How to Cite
Abstract
Creativity and imagination are fundamental cognitive skills for the integral development of children, especially during the age of five, when neural plasticity reaches its peak. This study presents the design of an innovative pedagogical strategy called "Imaginarte", aimed at promoting imagination and creativity in 5-year-old children through Cultural and Artistic Education. The research was developed under a qualitative approach, using direct observation through observation sheets as the main instrument for diagnosing the problem in a public educational unit in the rural sector of Cuenca canton, District 01D01. It was identified that children present limited creative and imaginative expression due to traditional pedagogical practices, excessively directive and focused on reproduction of pre-established models. As a result, the "Imaginarte" strategy was designed, structured in four phases (sensitization, implementation, monitoring, and feedback) with weekly activities that integrate art, music, and play with natural materials from the Andean environment. The proposal is based on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory, Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences, the Reggio Emilia approach, and contributions from cognitive neuroscience. It is concluded that it is feasible to design significant pedagogical transformations in rural contexts with limited resources, prioritizing cultural identity, free play, and the use of natural materials as mediators of creative learning.
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References
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