Strategies for Developing Early Childhood Religious Character Through Islamic Education

Abstract

This study examines the strategy of developing early childhood religious character through Islamic education as an effort to form a moral and spiritual foundation from an early age. The background of this research is the phenomenon of degradation of moral values among the younger generation which indicates the importance of cultivating religious character from an early age. The aim of the research is to identify and analyze various effective strategies in the development of early childhood religious character through Islamic education. The research method used is a library research with a qualitative descriptive approach. Data was collected from various literature sources in the form of scientific journals, books, and academic articles relevant to the research topic. Data analysis is carried out through content analysis to identify patterns, themes, and strategies that emerge from various sources. The results of the study show that early childhood religious character development strategies can be carried out through various approaches, including habituation methods, examples, storytelling, Quranic learning, worship habits, religious school culture, and collaboration with families. The implementation of holistic strategies that integrate cognitive, affective, and psychomotor aspects has been proven effective in shaping children’s religious character. This study concludes that the development of religious character requires an integrated approach between educational institutions, families, and communities with the application of consistent and sustainable methods. The implications of this research encourage the development of an early childhood education curriculum based on Islamic religious values and improve the competence of educators in implementing character development strategies.