The shortage of Educational Play Equipment (APE) has been found to directly affect the quality of early childhood learning at RA Nurul Jihad Kindergarten, while at the same time encouraging teachers to become more creative in designing learning media. This finding was presented by Asraty Poku, Rastiana, and Ramdayani Lumolo from Universitas Muhammadiyah Luwuk in a study published in the International Journal of Advanced Technology and Social Sciences (IJATSS) in 2026. Conducted from January to February 2026, the research is significant because it highlights how limited educational resources can influence children’s developmental outcomes during their most critical “golden age” years.
According to the
study, the school only meets around 40 percent of the minimum APE standard
required by national education regulations. This means children often need to
share the same learning tools, reducing the amount of hands-on learning time
each child receives. As a result, classroom activities often shift away from
child-centered exploration toward more teacher-centered instruction, which is
less effective for early childhood development.
The research used
a descriptive qualitative approach, combining classroom observation, in-depth
interviews, and documentation. The participants included the school principal,
four classroom teachers, and 25 children aged 4–6 years across two learning groups.
This method allowed the researchers to closely observe how limited learning
tools affect classroom dynamics and how teachers adapt their strategies in real
learning situations.
-cognitive growth, including problem-solving and number recognition
Despite these
limitations, the most compelling part of the study lies in the teachers’
response. Rather than allowing the lack of resources to reduce learning
quality, teachers at RA Nurul Jihad developed a range of innovative low-cost
strategies.
One major strategy
was the use of recycled materials. Teachers transformed used plastic bottles
into color-recognition games, cardboard into puzzles, newspapers into collage
tools, and natural materials such as leaves, stones, and seeds into thematic
learning aids. This approach not only solved the equipment shortage but also
introduced children to environmental awareness and creativity from an early
age.
Another strategy
involved rotational scheduling, where children use the same learning tools in
small groups on a rotating basis. This method helps maximize limited resources
while also teaching patience, sharing, and social cooperation.
The study also
highlights parent collaboration as an important solution. Through donation
programs and workshops, parents were encouraged to contribute used toys from
home or join sessions to create homemade APE together with teachers. This
school-home partnership strengthened both resource availability and parental
awareness of the importance of play-based learning.
Rastiana from
Universitas Muhammadiyah Luwuk noted that teacher creativity became the key
factor in minimizing the negative effects of resource scarcity. The teachers
successfully created multifunctional learning tools, where a single set of
blocks, for example, could be used for construction play, counting exercises,
storytelling, and role-play. This multidimensional use allowed one tool to
support multiple developmental domains at once.
The implications
of this study are highly relevant for the broader early childhood education
sector in Indonesia. It demonstrates that while infrastructure and budgets
remain important, teacher innovation can significantly buffer the impact of
limited school facilities. Schools with similar constraints may adopt this
model by prioritizing teacher creativity training, environmental learning
resources, and stronger parent-school partnerships.
For policymakers,
the findings point to the need for increased APE procurement budgets and
regular teacher workshops on low-cost educational media design. Such
investments could help reduce developmental gaps among children in
under-resourced schools.
For communities
and parents, the research sends a practical message: educational tools do not
always need to be expensive. Everyday household and natural materials can
become powerful learning media when guided by creative educators.
Author Profile
Rastiana is a researcher from Universitas Muhammadiyah Luwuk, specializing in
early childhood education, teacher creativity, and learning media innovation.
In this study, she collaborated with Asraty Poku and Ramdayani Lumolo, who
share expertise in PAUD learning strategies and child development. Their
collaboration offers a practical model for improving learning quality in
schools with limited resources.
Research Source
DOI: 10.59890/ijatss.v4i3.186.
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