Promoting Critical Thinking through Children's Experiential Learning

Critical thinking is a strategic competence that becomes the focus in Indonesia education today. Being a critical thinker is not an easy process. It has to start since early childhood. Critical thinking involves active engagement with ideas. Thus, it requires efforts. (Roche, 2015). In promoting critical thinking for children, a teacher should engage the students to a learning experiences that is in accordance with the children characteristics. The article describes the learning experiences of children in doing some Indonesia traditional plays. Plays are important in the early childhood learning. Unfortunately, traditional plays that valued of its philosophy are rarely played by children today. Most children in Indonesia tend to be interested in playing games in their tablets, phone or computer. Children sit for hours and eyes keep to the display while they are playing their games. No active engagement with peers, body movement, and philosophies. Sundanese plays carried traditional philosophies such as cooperating, helping others, discipline, responsibility, etc. The purpose is not only preserving traditional plays that valued traditional philosophies, but also it is practicing the children's critical thinking in a fun and active way. Some aspects of critical thinking also revealed in the activities of playing traditional plays.