Strengthening School-Age Children’s Creativity Through Visual Literacy in Art-Based Creative Activities at the Kebon Sirih Child-Friendly Integrated Public Space, Jakarta

Abstract

The Kebon Sirih Child-Friendly Integrated Public Space (RPTRA) in Jakarta has the potential to serve as a nonformal learning space for school-age children; however, it is still used mainly as a play area, so activities that develop creativity and visual literacy remain limited. This community service program aimed to enhance children’s creativity, visual literacy, and expressive abilities through art-based creative activities. The partner was the management of RPTRA Kebon Sirih, and the participants were elementary and junior high school students. The program applied Participatory Action Research (PAR) combined with experiential learning, comprising needs identification, program planning, socialization, creative workshops, visual literacy mentoring, evaluation, and sustainability planning. The workshops included bookmark making, mask painting, macramé phone straps, and pipe-cleaner flowers, adjusted to participants’ age. Program success was assessed through observation of participant engagement, documentation of artworks, and evaluation of the learning process. The results showed that participants were able to produce creative works, recognize basic visual elements, and communicate ideas through their works, and they demonstrated greater confidence, creativity, and active participation. The program also produced an art-based creative activity module that enables RPTRA managers to organize educational activities independently and sustainably.