Empowering children in early childhood education to be reflective based on Ignatian pedagogy

In the face of modern civilisation and globalisation, one key educational challenge is to foster reflexivity and critical thinking from an early age. While adolescents are expected to reflect on educational and social issues, children aged 7–10 are rarely supported in developing this competence. Ignatian pedagogy — based on context, experience, action, reflection, and evaluation — emphasises introducing children to reflection in a developmentally appropriate way. This article presents practical methods inspired by the Ignatian model to foster reflection in four areas: conceptual, metacognitive, socio-emotional, and spiritual. Drawing on literature analysis, observation, and educational innovation, the paper shows how early childhood educators can implement reflective activities in daily practice. The teacher’s role is crucial, as they model reflective attitudes. Despite the belief that children are not ready for reflection, the article demonstrates that well-designed pedagogical strategies can support the development of reflective habits.