<![CDATA[Character development in early childhood remains a challenge in education, particularly when learning focuses primarily on verbal instruction and traditional games are increasingly underutilized. This situation highlights the need for learning experiences that allow children to experience and practice character values directly. This study aims to analyze the effect of the traditional game Sigajang Laleng Lipa’, implemented through a learning by doing approach, on strengthening character development in early childhood. The study employed a quantitative approach using a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The participants were children aged five to six years who were selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through observations using a character assessment instrument and analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test and paired-samples t-test. The findings indicate an increase in character scores following participation in the traditional game. Improvements were observed in responsibility, cooperation, sportsmanship, and self-confidence, with statistically significant differences between pre-intervention and post-intervention scores. These findings suggest that traditional games combined with direct learning experiences have the potential to support character development through social interaction and active participation. The study concludes that Sigajang Laleng Lipa’ can serve as an alternative medium for character education rooted in local culture. The findings imply that traditional games can be integrated into early childhood education as a contextual, participatory, and meaningful learning strategy while taking children's developmental needs and safety into account.]]>
