Impact of digital games on early creative expression in children: longitudinal study based on experimental intervention

OBJECTIVE: Exploring the impact of digital games on children's early creative expression. METHOD: 300 kids aged 4-6 were randomly divided into an experimental group (EG, n = 150) and a control group (CG, n = 150). The EG received a 16-week intervention with three types of digital games (creative painting, digital scenarios, story creation), 30 min per session, three times a week; the CG followed regular activities. Using a pre-test and post-test control group design, the pre-test measured initial creativity (drawing creation, storytelling) via the self-developed "Early Childhood Creative Expression Ability Assessment Scale" and game process observation; the post-test was conducted at the experiment's end. Quantitative data were analyzed with SPSS26.0, and qualitative data via thematic analysis. RESULTS: Before intervention, there was no significant difference in creative expression or game process observation between the two groups (P > 0.05). After intervention, the EG outperformed the CG significantly in drawing innovativeness (P   0.05). CONCLUSION: Digital games significantly enhance children's early creative expression, providing a basis for applying digital resources in early childhood education and optimizing teaching methods to promote children's creativity.