Abstract:
This study aims to introduce religious tolerance to 6-7 year old children through
picture books by showing and introducing places of worship and how to pray in a simple
and easy-to-understand manner. The background of the study is focused on the urgency to
instill the values of tolerance and diversity at an early age, especially in Indonesia, because
Indonesia is one of the countries with diverse religions and cultures. Children who are still
in elementary school are in the early stages of developing visual learning and simple
narratives which are very important to shape their attitudes and understanding. This study
uses a qualitative method that combines literature reviews, observations, and interviews
with experts, parents, and their children directly to collect data on children's attitudes and
behavior. Tests were also conducted on children to determine whether the illustrations,
colors, characters, and texts read can be accepted and understood well. The results showed
that children showed interest and good understanding with the media of color illustrations
and simple language. They were also able to answer several examples of polite behavior
correctly to use the 3 magic words as exemplified in the book. In conclusion, Picture Books
function as a very effective alternative educational media for early childhood, so that they
can foster a sense of respect, empathy, and tolerance for diversity in everyday life.
