Examining the Scientific Process Skills of Preschool Children Through Science Activities Supported by Science-Based Cartoons

This study aims to examine the scientific process skills demonstrated by preschool children during cartoon-supported science activities. Designed using a mixed-methods approach, the study analyzed both quantitative and qualitative data collected in a natural preschool classroom setting. The participants consisted of 22 children aged 60–72 months attending a public preschool in Türkiye and their classroom teacher. The eight-week implementation process was carried out in two phases. Science activities without cartoons were conducted during the first four weeks, while science activities supported by cartoons were conducted during the following four weeks. Quantitative data were collected using the Scientific Process Skills Checklist developed by the researchers, while qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the teacher. Each behavior item on the checklist was scored on a binary scale (0–1), and changes in the frequency of observed behaviors related to the children’s scientific process skills across different measurement periods were analyzed using McNemar’s exact test. The findings indicated an increase in the children’s total checklist scores throughout the intervention process. Although score increases were observed even in the phase without cartoons, more pronounced differences emerged in the cartoon-supported phase. The teacher’s comments indicated that cartoon-supported science activities were evaluated in relation to children’s interest in and participation in the activities. The study presents exploratory findings on how cartoon-supported science activities are experienced in a preschool classroom setting. The findings provide a contextual example of the use of multimedia-supported materials in early childhood science activities.