Developing Social Skills Through Role-Playing Activities for Early Childhood Learners in Early Childhood Education Institutions in Semarang City

This study aims to develop an integrative learning guidebook based on role-play activities to enhance social skills in early childhood. The research employed a Research and Development (R&D) method adapted from the Borg and Gall model, simplified into five stages: identifying potentials and problems, data collection, product design, expert validation, and product revision. Preliminary findings from observations, interviews, and document analysis showed that although role-play activities were implemented in PAUD settings, they remained unstructured and were not explicitly directed toward social skill development. These findings informed the creation of a structured and practical guidebook. Data were collected through interviews, observations, and questionnaires, and analyzed using qualitative descriptive techniques along with quantitative validation from experts. Validation by material and media/language experts indicated that the guidebook met criteria for content relevance, clarity, visual quality, and usability. Suggestions provided by experts were incorporated into the revision process. In conclusion, the guidebook is feasible and appropriate to support teachers in implementing structured role-play activities to promote children’s social skills. Further studies may conduct broader field trials to measure its effectiveness in improving children’s social development outcomes.