Snake and Ladder-Based Stimulation Model: Enhancing Development in Children Aged 34–38 Months

<jats:p>Background: Early childhood development is a key indicator of future human resource quality. In Indonesia, the prevalence of developmental delays among toddlers, including those aged 34-38 months, remains high, highlighting the need for effective and easily implemented stimulation interventions. Objective: To develop a Snakes and Ladders stimulation model to improve the development of children aged 34-38 months. Methods: A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with 21 children aged 34-38 months selected purposively in the working area of Mamboro Public Health Center during May–July 2025. Research instruments included the Developmental Pre-Screening Questionnaire (KPSP) and a media validation checklist. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. Results: Expert validation by three specialists yielded a score of 78.2% (valid category) with minor revisions. Statistical analysis revealed a significant improvement in child development post-intervention (p =0.000), with most children shifting from “questionable” to “appropriate” developmental categories. Conclusion: the snake and ladder stimulation model is valid, effective, and has the potential for broad application in community-based early childhood development programs, with recommendations for larger-scale and long-term follow-up studies. The model offers a simple, low-cost, and engaging tool for parents and health workers to stimulate child development through play. This study introduces an innovative stimulation approach that can inform broader early childhood intervention strategies. This model is recommended for use by posyandu cadres, early childhood educators, and parents as an enjoyable and low-cost medium for child growth and development intervention. Further research with a full experimental design, larger sample size, and longer intervention duration is required to examine its long-term effectiveness in a larger population.</jats:p>