Aṭfālunā Journal of Islamic Early Childhood Education https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna <p><span style="text-align: justify;">Atfaluna: Journal of Islamic Early Childhood Education is a national journal </span><strong style="text-align: justify;">dedicated</strong><span style="text-align: justify;"> to interchange the result of high-quality research in all aspects of early childhood education. The journal welcomes all the fundamental theories, experiments, and simulations, application of a systemic proposed method, sufficient review of previous works, expanded discussion, and brief connection.<br><br></span><span style="text-align: justify;">The journal </span><strong style="text-align: justify;">is published</strong><span style="text-align: justify;"> by the Department of Islamic Early Childhood Education of the Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, State Institute for Islamic Studies Langsa. It is twice a year, in June and December. As your commitment to the advancement in early childhood education, the journal invites scholars, lecturers, activists, and all interested terms who love early childhood education issues.</span></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> en-US <p>Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:</p> <ul> <li>Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.</li> <li>Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.</li> <li>Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work</li> </ul> [email protected] (Syarfina) [email protected] (-) Sat, 28 Dec 2024 18:02:42 +0700 OJS 3.1.2.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 Fostering Environmental Hygiene Habits in Children with Special Needs https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/9496 <p>Environmental hygiene is an important issue that impacts health and quality of life. As a consequence, several measures are required to keep the environment clean, including fostering environmental hygiene habits at an early age. This study aims to describe the habituation of environmental hygiene in children with special needs. The type of research used is qualitative, which is analyzed descriptively, using direct observation and semi-structured interviews with open questions involving participants, namely educators and students five to six years old. The results of this study indicate that the habituation of environmental hygiene in children with special needs at Talented Kindergarten Semarang City runs well through various methods such as hygiene songs, making costumes made from used goods, and applying the concept of <em>Zero Waste Life Style</em>. Personal cleanliness and toilet training are examples of habituation, which is the process of doing something repeatedly until it becomes second nature. The existence of adequate facilities can support children in maintaining cleanliness. The involvement of teachers, parents, and professionals in children's therapy influences their growth and development, in order for these activities to foster self-reliance, accountability, and environmental consciousness.</p> Ika Ismatul Hawa, Muslam Muslam Copyright (c) 2024 Ika Ismatul Hawa, Muslam Muslam https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/9496 Sat, 28 Dec 2024 11:47:44 +0700 Parents' Understanding of the Balanced Nutrition Guidelines by Indonesia's Ministry of Health: A Case Study at Almaarif Kindergarten https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/8545 <p>The problem of malnutrition in children remains a controversial topic of discussion and an unresolved challenge, especially concerning parental knowledge. Parents must be knowledgeable about balanced nutrition before proceeding to the implementation stage. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of parental knowledge about the 2014 Balanced Nutrition Guidelines that were developed by the Ministry of Health in Indonesia. In order to collect data, the questionnaire was distributed to 80 respondents who were parents of students at Al-Maarif Singosari Kindergarten in Malang Regency. The questionnaire focused on evaluating parents' understanding of the recommendations for a balanced diet. The research findings revealed that 64% of parents demonstrated a strong comprehension of the balanced diet recommendations, while 36% exhibited a moderate understanding. However, these results are insufficient to ensure the effective implementation of balanced nutrition in children unless the knowledge is consistently translated into practice. Further research is needed on the relationship between parents' understanding of balanced nutrition and children's nutritional levels.</p> Indi Diana, Sandy Tegariyani Putri Santoso Copyright (c) 2024 Indi Diana, sandy Tegariyani putri santoso https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/8545 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 14:50:13 +0700 Exploring Practitioners’ Lived Mathematical Play Practices in the Early Childhood Care and Education Setting https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/9238 <p>Attention to engaging children in math-related play is increasing, but it is not clear how early childhood practitioners in South Africa practice lived mathematical play. This study sought to determine early childhood care and education practitioners’ lived mathematical play practices. The study was anchored on Vygotsky's social constructivist theory, which holds that children learn best when they are scaffolded and mediated by people who have more knowledge than they do. The study adopted a phenomenological research design using a sample of 10 practitioners. The researchers gathered data using a semi-structured interview guide. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data that were gathered. The findings of the study revealed that the lived mathematical play practices of early childhood partitioners include building relationships, showing respect, having passion, being experienced, and acting in loco parentis. Moreover, practitioners seem to know and understand what was expected of them in ECCE, particularly regarding the teaching of mathematical play-based learning. It was recommended that practitioners' lived mathematics play-based learning can be improved through appropriate teacher development programs and by gaining acceptable qualifications.</p> Chinedu Okeke, Seipati Baloyi-Mothibeli, Christian Ugwuanyi Copyright (c) 2024 Chinedu Okeke, Seipati Baloyi-Mothibeli, Christian Ugwuanyi https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/9238 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 15:00:04 +0700 Religious Moderation Picture Book Innovation for Early Childhood: Teaching Tolerance and Respect for Diversity https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/9959 <p>This study aims to develop innovative media in the form of picture books as a tool to teach religious moderation values such as tolerance and respect for differences to PAUD students in Purwakarta Regency. By using the Research and Development method based on the ADDIE model (Analyze Design Develop Implement Evaluate). this research is designed to produce educational media that is interesting, interactive, and effective. The initial stage of the research involved a needs analysis through interviews and observations with early childhood educators, which revealed the need for media capable of introducing the concepts of tolerance, respect for differences, and national values from an early age. The design and development process resulted in a picture book with vivid illustrations and stories relevant to children's daily lives, making it easy to understand and interesting. This media was tested in several early childhood education institutions in Purwakarta involving teachers and children as research subjects. The evaluation results showed that the picture storybooks improved children's understanding of the values of religious moderation. The results showed an average of the pre-test score of 22.08 then the Post-Test score reached 53.24, with an average increase of 31.16 with the calculation results showing the t value of -44.56, it can be concluded that the use of picture book media is effective in increasing religious moderation in children aged 5-6 years. With these findings, the developed media can serve as a strategic educational media.</p> Annisa Purwani Copyright (c) 2024 Annisa Purwani https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/9959 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 15:42:27 +0700 Parental Involvement in Supporting Children's Independence and Providing a Balanced Understanding of Gender https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/8442 <p>This study explores parental involvement in supporting children's independence and providing a balanced understanding of gender from an early age. This research uses a qualitative approach with a case study for parents at SILO Makale Kindergarten, South Sulawesi. Data is collected through interviews, observation, and documentation. The results showed that the involvement of supportive parents, especially those who care about gender equality, positively impacts the development of children's independence and gender understanding. Children raised with gender-responsive parenting tend to be more independent and have a more balanced understanding of gender. However, children with less parental attention and involvement showed higher dependency on daily activities. In addition, this study revealed that gender education at the preschool level has not been implemented optimally, potentially affecting the development of children's understanding of gender roles. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that parents be more actively involved in education and parenting that supports gender equality, as well as creating an environment that supports children's independence. It is also important for preschool education institutions to start systematically introducing the concept of gender equality.</p> Erwin Bunga Sapan, Isobeliana Musrini Copyright (c) 2024 Erwin Bunga Sapan, Isobeliana Musrini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/8442 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 17:59:02 +0700 Neuroscience-based Learning Model in Early Childhood Education https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/8491 <table width="605"> <tbody> <tr> <td width="454"> <p>Preschool teachers expect to enhance students' intellectual abilities by implementing brain-based learning stimulation in children. However, numerous preschool teachers remain uninformed about the brain's functioning in children. This study aims to establish a neuroscience-based learning model inside early childhood education institution. The study is applied to the 4D development paradigm, which comprises four stages: defining, designing, developing, and disseminating. The study involved 30 kindergarten/RA instructors in Parepare City, selected by purposive sampling, ensuring that the participants had not previously received training related to neuroscience. The data collection procedures employed included observation, interviews, needs analysis, questionnaires, and both pretests and posttests. Qualitative data analysis techniques are descriptive methodologies, whereas quantitative data analysis encompasses expert validation, teacher response surveys, and effectiveness assessments. This project develops a neuroscience-based learning model presented in a guide package as a validated teaching module. After providing content derived from the developed modules, the results indicated an enhancement in participants' scores. The neuroscience learning approach effectively enhances the knowledge of Islamic kindergarten educators. The findings of this study can serve as suggestions for educators and policymakers to improve and elevate the quality of learning in early childhood education.</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> Novita Ashari, Tien Asmara Palintan, Putri Annisa Copyright (c) 2024 Novita Ashari https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://journal.iainlangsa.ac.id/index.php/atfaluna/article/view/8491 Tue, 31 Dec 2024 18:46:38 +0700