Virtues for Early Childhood Found in the Stories of Pong Pang

Abstract

This research aimed to study the virtues of early childhood found in the children’s story series Pong Pang. The researcher examined virtues based on the framework of Somsriphisuth Kaiaphaiwong et al. (2021), which categorized virtues for early childhood into eight aspects. The study analyzed 29 Pong Pang storybooks for early childhood available in the library of Pibulsongkram Rajabhat University, selected from the best-selling early childhood storybook series during 2018–2022. The results revealed that all eight aspects of virtues were present in the Pong Pang storybooks, appearing a total of 74 times. The study results revealed that eight aspects of morality were found in the Pong Pang storybooks for early childhood, which can be ranked as follows: (1) Discipline, appearing 17 times, and accounting for 22.97 percent, followed by volunteer spirit, which appeared 16 times (21.62%); gratitude, appearing 14 times (18.91%); thrift and frugality, appearing 10 times (13.51%); honesty, appearing 6 times (8.10%); manners, appearing 4 times (5.40%); sufficiency, appearing 4 times (5.40%); and kindness and compassion, appearing 3 times (4.05%). From the findings, it can be seen that the Pong Pang storybooks integrate virtues into narratives to teach and instill moral values in children, enabling them to remember and apply these virtues in their daily lives. Additionally, the researcher found that 12 books in the series lacked any discussion related to virtues. Overall, these books primarily taught children survival skills in critical situations, which could help them protect themselves and escape safely from dangerous situations, demonstrating how the Pong Pang storybooks incorporate both virtues and basic self-help knowledge for young children, enabling them to remember and apply such knowledge in unexpected situations in the future.

             The researcher concluded that instilling virtues in early childhood is essential due to the high level of curiosity characterizing this developmental stage, and is a foundational period for growth into adulthood. Early childhood is thus the most suitable time to instill virtues effectively. To achieve this, virtues can be embedded through storytelling or educational media to help children understand moral values. When children understand and appreciate these virtues, they are likely to grow into quality adults who can apply such values in their lives, contributing to their personal development and enabling them to live harmoniously in society.