The Effects of Singing Activities on Children’s Memory, Learning Motivation, and Creativity in an Indonesian Kindergarten for Preschoolers

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to ensure that singing activities in preschool children can affect children's memory, motivate them to learn, and enhance creativity. The idea is, when a child sings, the child is in a happy state, so the brain releases the hormones dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins. These hormones are interrelated, for example, when endorfins bind receptors in the central nervous system, dopamine (the hormone of pleasure) is released. These hormones are produced in the hypothalamus and produce the glands that control the hormones in the brain so that one feels satisfied and happy. As a result of the pleasure experienced by the child, the child will be easy to understand the lessons or material given by the teacher, so the child's memory or intelligence will improve. Creativity will also increase as a result of singing activities. Building creativity means sharpening the mind, and it also means increasing the sensitivity of infiltration in the child. The child is sensitive to the tone, melody, rhythm, lyrics, growing a curiosity because of the singing stimulation given.   Method: Method: This study uses a quantitative experimental approach with pre-experimental characteristics of the type One Group PreTest Post-Test Design. Pre-experienced research is a method to find the influence of a treatment on a group with not too many respondents, using one group without a comparative group, with a pre-test, treatment, and post-test sequence, so that the results of the treatment are clear and accurate as compared to before the treatment. The study was conducted at Northern Jakarta Methodist School with a total of 21 children from 5-6 years of age. The research procedure comprises three stages, namely the planning stage, the implementation stage, and the assessment and analysis stage.   Result: As for the calculations (using the Paired Sample T-Test) pre-test and posttest variables memory power, learning motivation, and creativity, the three showed significance values of 0,000 or < 0.05. This indicates that there are differences in pre-test and post-test data on the three variables. It can be said that, singing activity affects the memory, learning motivation, and creativity of the child. N-gain of the three variables equally showed a value of 0.5. Singing activity is said to have an impact on improving the memory, learning motivation, and creativity of children.  A child's singing activity can stimulate the brain to absorb information. There is a repetition of the words to the theme song helps the child to remember the given material. Not only that, the kids also looked happy and enthusiastic during the singing activity. Children also participated more actively during the post-test in answering questions and commenting. The joy of a child when performing a singing activity also affects his or her creativity. Singing gives a child positive emotions so it keeps the child undepressed and unrestricted, making the child confident especially in presenting ideas according to his imagination.   Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that singing activity affects the memory, learning motivation, and creativity of children in Methodist kindergarten. This is due to differences in pre-test and post-test results that show an average increase of n-gain 0.5 (moderate increase) on each variable. Singing activity can be said to be an influential learning strategy in improving children's memory, learning motivation, and creativity.