The Effectiveness of Tactile Sensory Play on the Cognitive Development of Infants Aged 12–15 Months in Mekar Sari Village, Deli Tua District / Efektivitas Sensory play tactile terhadap Perkembangan Kognitif Bayi Usia 12 sampai 15 Bulan di Desa Mekar Sari Kecamatan Deli Tua

Background: The period from birth to five years of age is known as the golden period, a crucial phase for a child’s growth and development. During this stage, developmental monitoring—particularly of cognitive aspects—is essential as a foundation for the child’s future. Tactile sensory play is one form of stimulation that contributes to infants’ cognitive development. A lack of stimulation may hinder this development. Objective: To determine the effectiveness of tactile sensory play on the cognitive development of infants aged 12–15 months in Mekar Sari Village, Deli Tua District. Method: This study employed a quantitative design using a quasi-experimental approach with a one-group pretest–posttest design. The sample consisted of 30 respondents selected through accidental sampling. The tactile sensory play intervention was administered three times. Data were collected through observation using observation sheets and analyzed using a t-test with SPSS software. Results: The t-test results showed a p-value of 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant effect of tactile sensory play on the cognitive development of infants aged 12–15 months in Mekar Sari Village, Deli Tua District. Conclusion: Tactile sensory play is effective in improving the cognitive development of infants aged 12–15 months.

Latar Belakang: Masa bayi baru lahir hingga usia 5 tahun dikenal sebagai masa emas (golden period) yang merupakan fase krusial bagi pertumbuhan dan perkembangan anak. Pada periode ini, pemantauan perkembangan, termasuk aspek kognitif, sangat penting sebagai fondasi masa depan. Sensory play tactile merupakan salah satu bentuk stimulasi yang berperan dalam perkembangan kognitif bayi. Kurangnya stimulasi dapat menghambat perkembangan kognitif tersebut. Tujuan: Mengetahui efektivitas sensory play tactile terhadap perkembangan kognitif bayi usia 12-15 bulan di Desa Mekar Sari, Kecamatan Deli Tua. Metode: Penelitian ini menggunakan desain kuantitatif dengan metode Quasi Experiment dan rancangan One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. Sampel penelitian berjumlah 30 responden yang dipilih dengan teknik accidental sampling. Intervensi sensory play tactile diberikan sebanyak tiga kali. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui observasi menggunakan lembar observasi, dan dianalisis dengan uji T menggunakan perangkat lunak SPSS. Hasil: Hasil uji T menunjukkan nilai p-value sebesar 0,000 (p < 0,05). Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa terdapat efektivitas sensory play tactile yang signifikan terhadap perkembangan kognitif bayi usia 12-15 bulan di Desa Mekar Sari, Kecamatan Deli Tua. Kesimpulan: Sensory play tactile efektif dalam meningkatkan perkembangan kognitif bayi usia 12-15 bulan.