Game-Based Learning to Teach Body Safety for Early Childhood

Abstract

Sexual violence against children remains a serious and increasing concern in Indonesia, particularly among early childhood populations who often lack the cognitive and communicative skills necessary to recognize, resist, or report unsafe situations. Preventive education at an early age is therefore essential; however, conventional instructional approaches frequently face limitations in addressing sensitive topics such as body safety and personal boundaries. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a 2D platformer-based educational game designed to enhance body safety awareness among children aged 5–7 years in early childhood education settings. The game was developed using the waterfall model, encompassing requirement analysis, design, implementation, testing, and evaluation stages. Construct 3 was utilized as the development platform to create interactive modules covering body autonomy, good and bad touch, trusted adults, and assertive response strategies. A quasi-experimental pretest and posttest design was employed involving 20 preschool learners from two institutions in Malang. Learning outcomes were measured using visual scenario-based assessments, while usability was evaluated through a modified system usability scale (SUS) administered with teacher assistance. The results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in children’s understanding, with average scores increasing from 52.5 in the pretest to 86.3 in the posttest (p < 0.01). Usability findings indicated high levels of engagement, clarity, and motivation to replay the game. These findings suggest that culturally adapted digital game-based learning can serve as an effective and developmentally appropriate medium for early childhood sexual violence prevention education.