Long-term Effects of the Loss of Stimulation during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Preschoolers’ Cognitive Development

This study investigates the long-term effects of the loss of regular in-person preschool stimulation during the COVID-19 pandemic on various cognitive aspects in 4- and 5- year-old children in Spain (N = 307). Specifically, the study examines whether this disruption differentially affected early numeracy and literacy skills, working memory, and non-verbal reasoning and whether the impact varies as a function of the child’s developmental stage. Results reveal that children in the post-COVID cohorts show delays across both academic and non-academic domains. Younger children, who experienced the disruption during their first year of preschool, exhibit more pronounced deficits. These findings suggest that the pandemic’s disruption to preschool routines, including periods of school closures, remote learning, and atypical in-person stimulation, negatively impacted cognitive development, particularly for those at earlier developmental stages. The findings highlight the importance of regular in-person preschool stimulation for young children’s cognitive development.