Okul Öncesi Çocuklarda Hayal Gücü Gelişimi: Masallar ve Resimli Kitaplar Üzerine Nitel Bir Analiz

Imagination plays a central role in children's creative thinking, problem-solving, and socio-emotional development processes. The preschool period is a critical phase during which these skills are established and imagination develops intensely. In this period, literary texts—especially fairy tales and picture books—have emerged as significant areas of research for their impact on children’s ability to form mental imagery and develop creative thinking skills. This study qualitatively examines the contributions of fairy tales and picture books to the development of imagination in preschool children. Utilizing document analysis as a research technique, the study evaluates how fairy tales, through fantastical elements, and picture books, through visual narratives, enhance children’s imaginative capacities. The findings indicate that fairy tales support problem-solving and divergent thinking, while picture books foster children's active participation in forming mental images and constructing narratives. Consequently, the systematic inclusion of such literary texts in preschool education programs is recommended as an effective method to support the development of children's imagination.