Treasure Hunt Educational Game to Improve Grade 1 Early Mathematics Skills
Permainan Edukatif Berburu Harta Karun untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Matematika Awal Siswa Kelas 1
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57032/edukasi.v6i1.333Keywords:
early mathematics competence, educational game, Grade 1, numeracy, Treasure HuntAbstract
This study aimed to examine whether the educational game stimulus “Mencari Harta Karun” (Treasure Hunt) could improve early mathematics competence among Grade 1 primary pupils. The study was conducted at SDN Puncak (Dusun 1, Desa Genteng) using a quantitative one-group pretest–posttest design. Twenty Grade 1 pupils participated and completed both assessments. The intervention was implemented across six sessions, including preparation of the board-game media and question cards (addition and subtraction within 1–20), a baseline pretest, three guided gameplay sessions facilitated by the class teacher, and a posttest. Primary data were pupils’ pretest and posttest scores, analysed using descriptive statistics and a paired-samples significance test, with effect size reported to estimate practical impact. Results showed an increase in mean scores from 7.85 (SD = 1.56) to 8.95 (SD = 1.28) out of a maximum possible score of 10, suggesting a noticeable improvement in students’ early numeracy achievement and also indicating an average gain of 1.10 points, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.004). The intervention effect was moderate-to-large (Cohen’s d ≈ 0.74), suggesting educationally meaningful improvement rather than a marginal change. Posttest dispersion was also lower, indicating more consistent attainment across pupils after the intervention. This study contributes evidence that a low-resource, non-digital “Treasure Hunt” game, aligned with indicator-based numeracy assessment, can function as a practical instructional approach for strengthening early mathematics competence in Grade 1. The findings support integrating structured game-based activities into routine early-grade numeracy learning, particularly in contexts with limited access to technology-based learning media.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Annisa Salsa Khinanti, Ai Yeni Yuliyanti, Desi Fitriani, Oktaviani Rahma Nurazizah, Naya Fatiyah Kaltsum, Hayindra Narayasa
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