<![CDATA[Early childhood is a crucial developmental phase characterized by rapid brain growth and high neuroplasticity, making it an important period for introducing literacy and creativity. However, children at LPQ SekolahQu experienced low reading interest and limited opportunities for creative expression due to monotonous and text-centered learning methods. This community service program aimed to utilize zine media as a creative literacy tool to improve children’s reading interest and creativity at LPQ SekolahQu. The program employed participatory, educational, and interactive approaches through the use of mini zines designed with colorful illustrations, short thematic stories, games, and visual activities adapted to children’s cognitive development. The implementation involved several stages, including preparation of zine content, free reading sessions, guided discussions, scaffolding assistance, visual literacy exploration, and qualitative evaluation through participatory observation. The results demonstrated that the use of zines significantly increased children’s enthusiasm, engagement, and confidence during literacy activities. Children became more engaged in reading, discussing stories, expressing their opinions, and retelling narratives using their own words. In addition, the visual and interactive elements of zines stimulated imagination and creativity, as reflected in children’s spontaneous interest in drawing and creating their own stories. The program successfully transformed the learning atmosphere into a more enjoyable, interactive, and child-friendly environment. Therefore, zine-based creative literacy media can be considered an effective alternative learning model for fostering reading interest, creativity, visual literacy, and communication skills in non-formal Islamic educational institutions.]]>
