<![CDATA[ABSTRAK Kegiatan pengabdian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan potensi seni dan pendidikan karakter anak usia dini melalui pelatihan bermain peran teater Ngiung berbasis cerita rakyat lokal di PAUD St. Yuliana Rajong Koe, Kecamatan Kota Komba, Kabupaten Manggarai Timur. Permasalahan yang dihadapi mitra adalah minimnya pemanfaatan seni budaya lokal dalam pembelajaran serta keterbatasan guru dalam menerapkan metode berbasis budaya. Kegiatan ini melibatkan tiga guru PAUD dan dilakukan melalui tahapan sosialisasi, pelatihan, praktik, dan evaluasi. Metode pelatihan mencakup bermain peran, eksplorasi gerak, suara, dan penggunaan properti sederhana. Hasil kegiatan menunjukkan peningkatan pengetahuan dan keterampilan guru, serta partisipasi dan ekspresi anak dalam pembelajaran. Selain itu, terjadi peningkatan kesadaran akan pentingnya pelestarian budaya lokal sebagai bagian dari pendidikan karakter. Kegiatan ini membuktikan bahwa teater tradisional dapat menjadi media pembelajaran yang efektif dan menyenangkan bagi anak usia dini.Kata kunci: Ngiung, PAUD, Pendidikan Karakter, Budaya. ABSTRACTThis community service activity aimed to develop early childhood artistic potential and character education through role-playing training based on the local folk story Ngiung at PAUD St. Yuliana Rajong Koe, Kota Komba Subdistrict, East Manggarai Regency. The main problems faced by the partner school were the limited use of local cultural arts in the learning process and the lack of teacher capacity in applying culture-based methods. The program involved six PAUD teachers and was implemented through stages of socialization, training, practice, and evaluation. The training methods included role-playing, movement and vocal exploration, and the use of simple props. The results showed an increase in teachers' knowledge and skills, as well as greater student participation and expression in classroom activities. Moreover, the activity raised awareness about the importance of preserving local culture as part of character education. This initiative demonstrates that traditional theater can serve as an effective and enjoyable learning medium for early childhood education.Keywords: Ngiung, ECE, Character Education, Culture]]>
