Designing a Pop-up Book on the Diversity of Skin Tones in the Indonesian Archipelago as an Educational Medium for Self-Acceptance among Phase A Elementary School Children

Abstract

Children’s visual media predominantly portray lighter skin tones, limiting children’s exposure to skin-tone diversity and potentially shaping how they perceive and accept themselves and others. This study aimed to design Beda Warna, Satu Ceria, a pop-up book that introduces the diversity of skin tones in Indonesia and supports self-acceptance among Phase A elementary school children. The study employed practice-based and practice-led research within a descriptive qualitative approach, comprising four stages: pre-design, design, realization, and presentation. Participants were Phase A elementary school children selected through purposive and saturated sampling. Data were collected through observation, literature review, expert validation, user evaluation, and interviews, and were analyzed using qualitative description and descriptive statistics. The resulting pop-up book comprised three series—Aku Istimewa, Warna untuk Sahabat, and Bermain Bersama—featuring four characters with diverse skin tones and incorporating V-Fold, Pull-Tab, Lift-the-Flap, and Box-Fold techniques. The product was classified as highly feasible, with media expert validation scores ranging from 92.63% to 96.84%, subject-matter expert scores from 94.12% to 98.82%, and user evaluation scores from 88.89% to 91.26%. These findings demonstrate that the developed pop-up book is highly feasible as an educational medium for introducing skin-tone diversity and supporting self-acceptance among Phase A children. The study contributes an inclusive and interactive visual learning resource that elementary educators can use to foster children’s recognition and acceptance of physical diversity.