Opening Children’s Worlds through Stories: The Role of Interactive Storytelling in Fostering Early Childhood Language Development

Abstract

Language ability is one of the essential developmental domains in early childhood that requires stimulation through interactive and meaningful learning activities. This study aims to describe the implementation of interactive storytelling in fostering early childhood language development at TK Pertiwi Tanahbaya, Pemalang Regency. This research employed a descriptive qualitative approach with data collected through observation, documentation, and field notes. Interactive storytelling activities were conducted using picture storybooks and hand puppets, engaging children in various communication activities, including listening, dialogue, answering questions, and retelling story content. The findings revealed that interactive storytelling enhanced children’s involvement in communication processes, enriched vocabulary development, increased confidence in speaking, and supported children’s ability to construct sentences and express ideas in a more organized manner. Teacher-child interactions through open-ended questions and verbal stimulation played an important role in supporting children’s language development. This study demonstrates that interactive storytelling can be an effective instructional strategy for creating an active, enjoyable, and developmentally appropriate language-learning environment for young children.