Glocalizing Philosophy for Children (P4C): Embodied Cognitive Processes in a Culturally Embedded Kinesthetic Routine for Early Childhood

Abstract

This study examines how a culturally familiar kinesthetic routine, Senam Anak Ayam, facilitates the emergence of early cognitive processes specifically predictive reasoning, symbolic evaluation, and spontaneous self-monitoring among preschool children. Using an exploratory qualitative design, the research involved 18 children aged 4–6 years in Indonesian preschool setting, at Banyumas Regency, Banjarnegara Regency, Cilacap Regency in Central Java, Indonesia. Data were collected through high-resolution video recordings, verbatim interaction transcripts, and teacher reflective notes. Micro-interaction analysis was employed to segment events, code recurrent behaviors, and compare patterns across three sessions. The findings show that children consistently displayed anticipatory movements aligned with rhythmic cues, indicating early predictive reasoning. They also engaged in gesture-based symbolic negotiation as they evaluated the appropriateness of movements representing a chick’s behavior. Additionally, several children produced spontaneous self-monitoring comments, demonstrating emergent metacognitive awareness during a non-instructional activity. These results suggest that culturally embedded embodied routines can serve as low-pressure cognitive affordances that support foundational thinking skills in early childhood. The study contributes to embodied cognition literature by highlighting how everyday movement activities provide opportunities for inquiry, reflection, and meaning-making without formal instruction. Conclusions emphasize the need for further longitudinal and comparative research to clarify underlying mechanisms and strengthen theoretical generalizability.