Blended learning as a tool for enhancing mindfulness skills in early childhood education

Introduction This study examined the effectiveness of blended learning in developing mindfulness skills among kindergarten children in Ma'an, Jordan. Methods A quasi-experimental study employing a nonequivalent control-group design was conducted with 90 children from two kindergartens. The experimental group (n = 45) participated in an eight-week blended learning program, while the control group (n = 45) followed the regular kindergarten curriculum. Both groups completed a pictorial mindfulness scale before and after the intervention. Results After adjusting for pre-test scores, the experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group at post-test, F (1, 87) = 1342.24, p < .001, partial η ² = .94. The experimental group also showed a significant improvement from pre-test to post-test, t (44) = 41.38, p < .001. Discussion The findings suggest that blended learning may support the development of mindfulness skills in early childhood education. However, because the experimental and control groups were drawn from different kindergartens, the observed effect size should be interpreted as an association rather than definitive evidence of causality. Further research involving additional kindergartens and more rigorous experimental designs is needed before considering the integration of blended learning into the national kindergarten curriculum.