The Role of Composition, De-composition, and Comparison Activities in 3–4-Year-Old Children’s Abstraction Processes in Shape Recognition

Abstract

This mixed-methods study investigated the impact of the Froebel Gifts Early Geometry Program (FG-EGP) on the development of abstraction processes in geometric shape recognition among 3- to 4-year-old children. Grounded in cognitive theories of abstraction, the study aimed to determine if structured geometry instruction using manipulatives, comparative activities, and explicit vocabulary could support a shift from visual to property-based reasoning in early shape classification. A total of 93 children and nine early childhood educators from four licensed daycare centres in the Niagara Region participated in the study. Classrooms were assigned to either experimental or control groups, with further division based on intervention duration (4-week or 8-week). Quantitative data were collected through pre- and post-tests using the Geometric Shape Recognition Test (GSRT), assessing children’s ability to recognize typical and atypical examples of circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles and to articulate geometric properties. Qualitative data were gathered through structured classroom observations and semi-structured teacher interviews, focusing on instructional activities, vocabulary use, and manipulative mediation. Quantitative analyses using repeated measures ANOVA, ANCOVA, and non-parametric tests revealed that children in the experimental groups, particularly those in the 8-week intervention, demonstrated significantly greater gains in both total recognition scores and property-based verbal responses compared to control groups. These findings indicate that the FG-EGP supported the development of abstraction by promoting conceptually rich interactions with shapes and enhancing geometric vocabulary. Qualitative findings further illustrated how structured activities, teacher scaffolding, and the use of Froebel Gifts facilitated children’s engagement with geometric properties and supported deeper mathematical reasoning. The integration of quantitative and qualitative results provides compelling evidence that early geometry instruction, when thoughtfully designed and developmentally appropriate, can foster abstraction in preschool-aged children. This study offers implications for curriculum design, teacher training, and early mathematics education policy aimed at strengthening foundational cognitive skills in young learners.