Children’s laughter filled the classroom. The learning was evidently fun. There were no long speeches for children to get bored with. That day, Wednesday (22/7), Madrasah Ibtidaiyah (MI) Miftahul Huda, Tondomulyo, Jakenan, Pati and Yayasan YAPHI provided education on child protection and the law through fun games, discussion, and simple drama.

Beyond the laughter and the enthusiasm, there was key lessons about how to self-protect from violence, to identify the dangers of digital world, and the confidence to seek help when feeling unsafe.

In one corner of the classroom, Handharu and Skolastika accompanied year-4 and year-5 students. The activity started with a simple pre-test through colouring activity. This method allowed children to feel relax before they focus on the main issue.

Then the classroom became alive when children went into groups to play puzzle games. First, each group was given a challenge to put a puzzle together within specific time limit. Children were enthusiastic to finish the task on time.

Then the game became more interesting. The opportunity to finish puzzle was not given in turn, but had to be earned by answering the facilitator’s questions. Each child who answered successfully was given one minute to help the group finish the puzzle.

Children found the strategy quite challenging yet they raised their hands nonetheless. They not only learned to answer questions, but to work together so that their group was able to finish the puzzle quickly.

The puzzle was not simply a game. The simple media became an entry point to the introduction of material on child grooming and use of online game safely. Children learned that digital games were fun, but they had to be wise and careful of people they did not know.

Amongst tens of participants, one girl named Nisa was outstanding. She enjoyed the whole process with enthusiasm. In each session, she raised her hand to answer the questions.

Nisa also said that she often played Roblox. That experience encouraged her to ask so many questions to the facilitator – from how to play safely to what to do when a stranger suddenly asked her to communicate through online game. Her curiosity was a unique feature of the activity.

Meanwhile, in another classroom, 20 students from class-6 attended learning session with Nunung Sukocowati and Astuti. From the start, children did a pre-test before they divided into groups of five.

It was not about sitting silently and listening to presentation, as children moved around as the “Allowed or Not Allowed” game proceeded. The facilitator read a number of situations that children often encountered when using social media. If they felt that a particular behaviour was allowed, they had to move to the “Allowed” side. Conversely, if they felt that a particular behaviour was not allowed, they moved to the "Not Allowed" side.

Students then discussed each answer so that they knew the reason behind their choices.

The subsequent game used case study, where each group was given three coloured cards. The green card meant allowed to do, the red card meant not allowed to do, while the yellow card meant that an action had to be performed carefully and with extra caution.

Through group discussion, children learned that not all situation necessitated black and while answers. Certain conditions necessitated deliberation before any decision was made.

The third game involved materials on self-protection when facing threats or violence. Children were given a number of situations that could happen in daily life.

For example, who they had to ask for help when experiencing violence at home. Who they needed to contact when feeling unsafe at shopping centres. Whether it was their parents, grandfather and grandmother, trusted neghbours, teachers, security staff, of the police.

These questions triggered children to think about the importance of adults they could trust when they faced dangerous situations.

The peak activity was delivered through drama. A number of children played figures close to their daily life, such as father, mother, teacher, tutors, neighbours, the police or security officers. One child played the role of a victim of violence.

Using rope as a medium, children were asked to show whom they would ask for help. The rope then was handed over to the person playing whatever role the rope pointed to, who then pointed the rope to other individuals who could help, hence forming an invisible network of help.

Slowly the rope forms some kind of spider web. That web became a symbol that child protection did not only depend on one person. Parents, family members, teachers, trusted neighbours, and security officers had roles to play that intertwined with each other to create a safe environment for children.

Meanwhile, a similarly fun situation was happening in class-3. The activity started with a game "The Neighbourhood Chief Says." The children had to follow the instruction, and started by repeating “The Neighbourhood Chief Says.” If the instruction did not start with that motto, children were not allowed to do the activity.

The simple game succeeded to get children to concentrate and to train children to listen attentively before doing anything.

After the game, children did the pre-test by placing stickers in two coloured sheets of paper. The pink paper showed allowed activities/behaviour, while the blue paper showed non-allowed activities/behaviour.

Before sticking the sticker, the facilitators asked children to observe the picture(s) and explained the activity they observed. Most children answered confidently.

From there, the facilitators asked children to discuss daily habits. Children learned that playing with friends, eating with family, joint learning, sharing with others, and playing kites were good activities.

Conversely, they also learned to identify behaviours they needed to avoid, such as using mobile phones for too long a time, studying while also using mobile phones, receiving food from a stranger, following a stranger, giving home address to other people, or keeping important secret from parents.

The facilitators also asked children to talk about digital games they often played. Children screamed when they heard names such as Mobile Legends, PUBG, Sakura School Simulator, and Roblox. Almost all children played any of those games.

Through light conversation, children learned that playing gym was not prohibited. But they had to arrange the time well, and helped parents at home, and maintain caution of unknown individuals on the internet.

Another message was the importance of keeping private information. Children had to be careful not to accept any gift from strangers, not to share home address, and to always told the experience that made them uncomfortable to parents or trusted adults.

To maintain fun situation, the activity presented games before the post-test that contained six questions in order to see how far children understood.

To close the activity in class-3, all participants clapped following "Totelala." Claps and happy faces filled the room, which marked the end of the activity.

Meanwhile, in class-1, facilitators Tina and Yosi asked children to identify body parts that could and could not be touched by other people as part of education on self-protection. In the session, a number of children used terms that were not really correct when pointing to reproductive organs. The facilitators then corrected by introducing the correct and appropriate terms - penis for boys and vagina for girls – so that children got used to using the correct terms.

Then, they asked children to discuss habits of using mobile phones, types of online games they often played, and their understanding of the internet. From there, the facilitators explained the benefits and risks of using the internet, including the importance of identifying touches that were allowed and not allowed, and understanding that not all people who looked kind/good had good intention. The activity ended with children sticking stickers of lessons they learned, Totelala clap, and brief reflection.

When asked what they learned that day, children were able to mention materials they received as sign that they understood the key lessons about self-protection.

A different situation was observed in class-2. The activity revolved around snake and ladder game designed to introduce the concept of safe culture and prevention of child grooming in a fun way. During discussion in the game, the facilitators found that a number of children had used mobile phones and were familiar with a number of digital platforms, such as Roblox, Free Fire, and TikTok.

Yet, they were not familiar with the risk of child grooming that could happened online. After the game, children engaged in a game of poster colouring on the theme of safe culture. Each participant received a piece of paper with drawing that they had to colour, and then explained the content of the poster before they attached the poster unto the classroom walls.

The facilitators continued with each explanation about each poster so that children could understand. Through interactive discussion, children identified ways of self-protection when using the internet and the importance of confidence when telling parents or trusted adults about situations they found unsafe. The activity closed with Totetala claps by all participants.

Lessons proceeded through puzzles, coloured papers, movement games, and snake and ladder drama. Yet, the key message was that: each child had a right to feel safe, to be listened to, and to be protected, in real world and in digital world which became more and more familiar to children.

At the far end of the room, teachers, tutors, and staff of MI Miftahul Huda attended legal education sessions on basic gender, child’s rights, and child protection facilitated by Haryati Panca Putri and Dorkas Febria.

The activity was interactive and communicative, that triggered participants to pay attention, and to actively discuss and share experience they found at school environment. The facilitators presented a number of simple, interesting and easy-to-understand education media to help children understand the concepts of gender equality, children’s rights, and the importance of creating a safe and free of violence learning environment.

Through warm discussion, participants identified the roles of educators in preventing discrimination, violence, and forms of infringements of children’s rights. The situation became fluid and made the learning process fun and encouraged students to have the confidence to express opinions and to ask questions. The expectation was that the materials could be practiced on daily activities in order to create friendly, inclusive and safe environment for children. (Ast)