EFEKTIVITAS IMPLEMENTASI KURIKULUM MERDEKA BAGI PERKEMBANGAN ANAK 4–6 TAHUN: TINJAUAN SISTEMATIS

Early childhood education plays a crucial role in supporting holistic cognitive, language, and socio - emotional development. The Merdeka Curriculum is a recent approach that emphasizes project-based learning, child-centered pedagogy, and the reinforcement of the Pancasila Student Profile. This study aims to identify the contribution of the Merdeka Curriculum implementation to the development of children aged 4 - 6 through a systematic review of 20 verified scholarly articles published between 2021 and 2025. Findings reveal that 85% of studies reported improvements in critical thinking and communication, 70% showed enhanced emotional regulation and social interaction, and language development was strengthened through increased vocabulary and speaking skills. Key supporting factors include teacher competency, parental involvement, and infrastructure readiness. Challenges include limited digital literacy among teachers and inadequate facilities. These findings offer implications for early childhood education policies, particularly in context-based teacher training, technology access, and collaborative school-family models. ABSTRAK Pendidikan anak usia dini berperan penting dalam mendukung perkembangan kognitif, bahasa, dan social - emosional secara holistik. Kurikulum Merdeka hadir sebagai pendekatan baru yang menekankan pembelajaran berbasis proyek, berpusat pada anak, dan penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi kontribusi implementasi Kurikulum Merdeka terhadap perkembangan anak usia 4 - 6 tahun melalui tinjauan sistematis terhadap 20 artikel ilmiah terverifikasi terbitan 2021 - 2025. Hasil menunjukkan bahwa 85% studi melaporkan peningkatan berpikir kritis dan komunikasi, 70% menunjukkan perbaikan regulasi emosi dan interaksi sosial, serta penguatan aspek bahasa melalui peningkatan kosakata dan keterampilan berbicara. Faktor pendukung utama mencakup kompetensi guru, keterlibatan orang tua, dan kesiapan infrastruktur. Sementara itu, tantangan meliputi rendahnya literasi digital guru dan keterbatasan sarana. Temuan ini memberikan implikasi bagi kebijakan PAUD, terutama dalam pelatihan guru berbasis konteks, akses teknologi, dan model kolaboratif sekolah-keluarga.