PLAY, LEARN, AND DISCOVER: ENHANCING LETTER RECOGNITION AND NUMBER IDENTIFICATION THROUGH STRUCTURED PLAYBASED LEARNING ACTIVITIES AMONG KINDERGARTEN LEARNERS

Building strong literacy and numeracy skills starts with meaningful learning experiences that make education engaging, interactive, and enjoyable. This study, titled “Play, Learn, and Discover: Enhancing Letter Recognition and Number Identification through Structured PlayBased Learning Activities among Kindergarten Learners,” examines the potential of play-based instruction to strengthen foundational competencies at Garab Elementary School, Iguig District, Schools Division of Cagayan. Employing a quantitative classroom-based action research design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach, the study proposes structured activities involving alphabet games, letter matching, number bingo, counting exercises, and interactive learning materials. Simulated data representing 30 Kindergarten learners demonstrated improvements in letter recognition, with mean scores increasing from 11.20 to 21.40, and number identification, from 8.40 to 17.30. Sample statistical analyses indicated significant differences between pretest and posttest performance, suggesting the potential effectiveness of structured play-based learning. However, these findings require validation using actual classroom data. The study proposes integrating purposeful educational games, differentiated instruction, and continuous assessment into Kindergarten teaching practices. Ultimately, the research highlights how transforming everyday play into meaningful learning opportunities may help address foundational learning gaps, encourage active participation, and support school readiness through developmentally appropriate and learner-centered instruction while promoting inclusive, engaging, and sustainable early childhood education practices