Cracking the Code: ECEC Teachers’ Pedagogical Practices for Fostering Children’s Mathematical Knowledge and Computational Thinking with Coding Toys

Source abstract

Coding in early childhood education provides diverse opportunities for developing children’s mathematical knowledge and computational thinking skills. Drawing on more than two years of pedagogical experience integrating coding toys into children’s play activities, this study explores how four early childhood teachers describe their practices for fostering children’s mathematical knowledge and computational thinking. A qualitative case study design was employed, incorporating in-depth individual interviews with video-stimulated recall sessions, and the data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings show that the teachers emphasized the importance of embodied exploration, dialogic interaction, and opportunities for experimentation and problem solving when supporting children’s engagement with coding toys. Rather than relying on the technology itself, the teachers highlighted how their pedagogical mediation helped children connect coding activities with mathematical reasoning and computational thinking. The study offers new insights into how coding toys can be meaningfully integrated into early childhood education to promote children’s understanding of mathematical and computational concepts. By emphasizing teachers’ pedagogical practices, this research advances knowledge on effective approaches that connect play, digital tools, and early learning in the context of coding.