Lecturers from the Faculty of Psychology at Mercu Buana University Yogyakarta (UMBY) once again conducted community service (PkM) activities as a way of implementing psychological knowledge. The UMBY Psychology Team collaborated with KB-TKIT Husnayain, located in Tegalsari, Lumbungrejo, Tempel, Sleman. The team held an event titled "Effective Communication between Parents and Kindergarten Children through Storytelling" at the MI Husnayain Mosque on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

The community service team consisted of Katrim Alifa Putrikita, M.Psi., Psychologist, as the chair, and Malida Fatimah, S.Psi., M.Cons., and Narastri Insan Utami, M.Psi., Psychologist. During the event, the three shared various storytelling techniques that parents can implement at home as a means of communication and learning for their children.

"The training was attended by parents who enthusiastically learned how to build positive, warm, and effective communication with their children through storytelling," explained Katrim.

Katrim introduced a storytelling method using puppets to create stories, where puppets are used as an interactive medium to stimulate children's imagination and engagement in the story.

"Using puppets will help children express emotions and understand moral messages in a fun way," explained Katrim.

Next, Malida Fatimah introduced a storytelling approach using cartoons, which utilizes simple images and animations. She explained that this technique is highly relevant to today's visual world. Through cartoons, parents can convey positive messages and values ​​in a way that children can easily understand.

"Parents can instill positive values ​​in a way that's easy to understand through cartoons that children enjoy. This is beneficial for strengthening the emotional bond between parents and children," said Malida.

Meanwhile, Narastri Insan Utami taught the Super Me! technique. This method encourages children to recognize their strengths and potential by playing the role of the main character in the story.

"Through stories, children learn about empathy, courage, and self-confidence," said Narastri.

The activity was interactive and fun. Participants not only received theoretical material but also had the opportunity to practice storytelling techniques with their children. Their enthusiasm was evident in the participation of parents, who tried various creative ways to tell stories.

The Principal of KB-TKIT Husnayain Tempel, Lies Setyarini Triningsih, S.TP., expressed her appreciation for the implementation of this activity.

"This activity is a means of fostering children's love of books, which aligns with the mission of KB-TKIT Husnayain. Storytelling provides additional insight for parents into the diversity of ways to communicate with children," she said.

Through this community service activity, the team of Psychology lecturers at UMBY hopes that parents will increasingly understand the importance of effective and enjoyable communication with their children.