Gamification in Early Childhood Education: Improving Students' Learning Motivation through Game-Based Learning Strategies

Gamification as a structured form of game-based learning emerges as a strategy that focuses on game mechanics encouraging active participation and a sense of student learning aspiration, gamification shows an overall effect on motivation and learning outcomes, this study aims to explore game-based learning strategies specifically designed for early childhood education environments, quasi-experimental research design with a mixed-method approach, consisting of 70 PAUD/TK students aged 4-6 years MANOVA analysis showed a significant main effect of gamification intervention on overall motivation scores (Wilks' = 0.64, F(3, 66) = 12.37, p < .001,partial = 0.36), with a large effect size.The findings show that the dimensions of intrinsic motivation, identified regulation, behavioral engagement, and emotional engagement experienced a significant increase, gamification strategies in the context of early childhood education are able to provide a significant positive impact on increasing student learning motivation.By utilizing gamification elements designed according to children's developmental characteristics, such as badges, collaborative challenges, immediate feedback, and visualization of progress