Sopia, Yumna, and Samea observe chickens, dolls, and bicycles as props in the story
During the implementation of the Power of Goodness activity, our team raised the theme of honesty through the story “Anna and The Speckled Hen.” This story was selected because it presents a simple yet powerful moral value that is highly relevant for young children. Through the character of Anna, the children were invited to understand the meaning of honesty in everyday life, particularly the courage to do what is right even in difficult situations. In the story, Anna finds an egg that does not belong to her and chooses to return it to its rightful owner. This simple decision becomes the core lesson, demonstrating that honesty often appears in small actions but carries significant meaning.
To ensure that the story was not only understood verbally, my team and I prepared various teaching aids as visual media, such as a chicken egg, chicken puppets, a doll figure, a scarf, and a bicycle. The use of these props helped the children visualize the situations in the story more concretely. During the storytelling session, the children appeared enthusiastic and focused on following the storyline. Their facial expressions and responses reflected their emotional engagement with Anna’s experience.
After the story was read aloud, the activity continued with a discussion session. We posed a guiding question: “Why did Anna return the egg?” This question provided space for the children to express their understanding of honesty. Most of the children responded, “Because it was not hers.” This indicated that they understood the basic concept of ownership and the boundary between personal belongings and others’ property. Leandra added that Anna returned the egg because she would be afraid her mother might be upset if she took something that did not belong to her. Meanwhile, Allegra gave a deeper response, explaining that if the egg were taken, the owner of the hen might go hungry. This demonstrated the emergence of empathy and the ability to recognize the impact of one’s actions on others. At this point, the story was no longer merely about an egg, but about the development of moral awareness within the children.
The learning experience was further reinforced through a role-play activity, in which the children reenacted scenes from the story. They shared roles as Anna, the egg’s owner, and even the hen. With additional props such as toy cooking utensils and simple market items, each child had the opportunity to participate actively. Through this role-play process, the children did not only recall the storyline but also directly experienced a situation that required an honest choice. This moment affirmed that the value being learned had moved from the stage of listening to the stage of doing.
This activity aligns with Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, which states that children aged 4–6 years are in the preoperational stage. At this stage, children think concretely and symbolically, requiring tangible objects and direct experiences to fully understand a concept. Through the use of props and role play, the previously abstract concept of honesty became a concrete experience that the children could feel and enact. This process supported the gradual development of moral understanding in accordance with their stage of growth.
For me, this activity was more than just a storytelling session; it was a holistic learning process. The children not only understood that honesty is important, but they also observed it, discussed it, and practiced it through meaningful action. From one simple story about Anna, the children learned about responsibility, ownership, and empathy. Thus, “Anna and The Speckled Hen” did not remain merely a story heard in the classroom, but became a living and memorable learning experience in their character development.
The other child played the role of a food seller
Anna (played by Mahija) rides her bike to the chicken owner’s house.