The role of the game in the intellectual development of the preschooler. Tests of vocabulary, similarities and comprehension

TThe work aims to highlight the effectiveness of the didactic game in influencing the intellectual development of preschool children, with an emphasis on the acquisition of vocabulary, the ability to identify similarities as well as their ability to understand and interpret the ideas presented in a stated text. The subjects of the research were 60 preschool children from the urban environment. Of these, 31 children participated daily in the play activities in the kindergarten, while 29 attended those activities less. The evaluation tools used in the research were: the W.I.S.C. test. (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) and Ped-Evaluation of Children's Cognitive Abilities. The analysis of the data obtained following the application of these tests, led to the confirmation of three of the four formulated hypotheses. The research findings provide a psychological perspective on the importance of didactic play in the intellectual development of preschool children. Significant differences were identified in the acquisition of vocabulary and the ability to identify similarities by comparing the results of the group of children who attended the game activities with the results obtained by those who did not have this opportunity. A positive correlation was also found between the level of understanding and attention in children actively involved in game activities. The obtained results support the integration of play activities in a psychological and educational framework of preschool children, contributing to the development of their intellect, creativity and social skills. By freely exploring various aspects of play and actively interacting with the environment, these children develop the psychological skills essential to their success in learning and in life.