The Influence of Islamic Storytelling on the Moral Development of a Toddler in Surabaya

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of Islamic storytelling in shaping the moral character of preschool-aged children. Early childhood is considered the golden age, a crucial period for cognitive, emotional, and spiritual development; therefore, instilling moral values from an early age is essential. The research employed a Single Subject Research (SSR) approach with an A-B-A design. The subject of the study was a four-year-old child in Surabaya who received an intervention in the form of Islamic storybook readings containing narratives of the Prophets, Companions, and righteous figures. The intervention was carried out over six sessions, each lasting 30–45 minutes. Data were collected using observation sheets on the child’s moral behavior as well as pretest and posttest instruments to measure changes before and after the intervention. The results showed an improvement in commendable moral behaviors after the Islamic storytelling intervention. The child demonstrated a better understanding of moral values, imitation of good behavior, and positive responses in daily interactions. The findings conclude that Islamic storytelling can serve as an effective strategy in shaping the moral character of preschool children during their early developmental period. This research provides important implications for parents and educators to utilize Islamic stories as a medium for teaching moral values from an early age.