Strengthening Children’s Numeracy Literacy and Reading Interest through Interactive Multimedia in a Residential Community

Abstract

Children in residential communities may have limited access to varied literacy and numeracy activities outside school, particularly when learning is presented through conventional worksheets and verbal explanation. This community empowerment program aimed to strengthen numeracy literacy and reading interest through interactive multimedia for 30 children aged 6–11 years in Fantasy Residence, Batam, Indonesia. Conducted from 30 March to 30 April 2026, the program used a participatory and educational approach consisting of needs observation, partner coordination, socialisation, guided reading, digital storytelling, short educational videos, interactive quizzes, contextual numeracy games, visual activity sheets, and reflective evaluation. Evidence was collected through structured observation, question-and-answer sessions, documentation, participant task completion, and partner reflection. The implementation showed stronger visible engagement when children interacted with visual, auditory, and game-based materials. Participants were more willing to answer questions, retell story content, identify relevant information, and attempt contextual numeracy tasks. The neighbourhood partner also obtained a simple activity model and reusable learning materials. The program demonstrates that low-cost, facilitator-guided multimedia can support enjoyable community learning, although future programs should include age-group differentiation and formal pre- and post-assessment.