<![CDATA[This study explored how educational play materials (Alat Permainan Edukatif, APE) were used to cultivate character in early childhood and identified the character values expressed during classroom activities at TK Cemerlang Rembele, Bukit, Bener Meriah. A descriptive qualitative design with a narrative orientation was employed. The participating class comprised 15 children aged 5–6 years, including five boys and ten girls. Information was collected through classroom observation, documentation, and interviews with the principal, three teachers, and two parents or guardians. Analysis followed an interactive process of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, with triangulation across sources and methods. The findings describe character education as a process embedded in selecting, sharing, using, and returning play materials. Blocks, puzzles, number cards, role-play props, and motor-activity materials provided opportunities to practise discipline, responsibility, cooperation, independence, and emotional regulation. Empathy, respect, and social communication were also evident in accounts of peer interaction. Teachers supported these processes by explaining rules, modelling appropriate behavior, mediating minor conflicts, and gradually allowing children greater responsibility. Parent accounts suggested continuity between school routines and behavior at home. The findings indicate that the educational value of play materials depends on guided interaction and consistent routines rather than on the objects alone. As a single-site qualitative study, the research offers a contextual explanation of classroom practice rather than a causal estimate of effectiveness or evidence of lasting character change.]]>
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