697 Published by Bali Medical Journal | Bali Medical Journal 2021; 10(2): 697-700 | doi: 10.15562/bmj.v10i2.2265 ORIGINAL ARTICLE ABSTRACT Quran memorization and early childhood development: a case-control with neuroscience approach Muchtar Hanaf 1* , Jumiatmoko 2 , Faizal Muhammad 1 , Nanang Wiyono 3 , Tonang Dwi Ardyanto 1 Background: Early childhood is the crucial period in forming children’s learning modalities. Various innovations are carried out to optimize early childhood development. Studies on the early childhood development in the tahfdz program school in Indonesia are still few and limited. This study investigates the relationship between Quran memorization and early childhood development in six aspects: religious and moral values, physical-motoric, social-emotional, cognitive, linguistic, and art. Method: A total of 316 kindergarten children between the age of 60 to 84 months were involved in the study. The study consists of Group A (n = 155) with memorization of 0 up to 20 chapters, and Group B (n = 161) with minimum memorization was 21 up to 37 chapters. Data of Quran memorization and development aspects were obtained from the classroom teachers. The development aspects indicators including developed very well, developed as expected, starting to develop, and undeveloped. It was then converted and processed in the form of a rating scale. The analysis was carried out using the Mann- Whitney test. Group A showed better development outcomes in the mean ranks of each aspect than Group B. Result: Group A’s early childhood development achievements were better than Group B. The childhood development comparison aspects between the two study groups showed religious and moral values (p=0.001), physical-motoric (p=0.001), social-emotional (p=0.001), cognitive (p=0.002), linguistic (p=0.045), and art (p=0.001). Meanwhile, there was no signifcant diference in comparing cognitive and linguistic aspects between boys and girls in each group (p>0.05). Conclusion: The study implication was focused on brain workload management strategies based on the neuroscience approach. Appropriate learning support and strategy are required for children with more Quran memorization to prevent disproportionate childhood development. Keywords: childhood, development, education, neuroscience, Quran. Cite This Article: Hanaf, M., Jumiatmoko., Muhammad, F., Wiyono, N., Ardyanto, T.D. 2021. Quran memorization and early childhood development: a case-control with neuroscience approach. Bali Medical Journal 10(2): 697-700. DOI: 10.15562/bmj. v10i2.2265 1 Universitas Sebelas Maret Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia; 2 Early Childhood Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia; 3 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia; *Corresponding author: Muchtar Hanaf; Universitas Sebelas Maret Teaching Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia; muchtar.hanaf@staf.uns.ac.id Received: 2021-02-21 Accepted: 2021-07-22 Published: 2021-08-05 697 Published by Bali Medical Journal Bali Medical Journal (Bali MedJ) 2021, Volume 10, Number 2: 697-700 P-ISSN.2089-1180, E-ISSN: 2302-2914 Open access: www.balimedicaljournal.org INTRODUCTION Te high public interest in early childhood education has encouraged the rapid growth of early childhood schools in Indonesia. Statistical data on Indonesia’s early childhood education in 2017/2018 showed the number of private schools is 87,726 (96.31%) while the remaining 3,363 (3.69%) are public schools. Central Java, which has 14.116 schools, is the second-highest number of early childhood schools in Indonesia afer Yogyakarta. Parents’ interest in the tahfdz (Quran memorization) program is motivated by the desire to have noble personalities, good cognitive abilities, and high achievement outcomes. 1 Early childhood is identifed as a period that infuences the learning development of a human during his life. 2 Learning stimulation given to early childhood forms the networks of children’s brains that function as a learning force throughout their lives. Hence, memorizing the Quran must be adjusted to each child’s abilities to achieve the child’s development in other life and learning aspects. A previous study on Quran memorization in early childhood showed the memory increased afer listening to the reading of the Quran for 15 minutes. 3 However, if memorization is designed as a mandatory target for children, it potentially causes uncomfortable experiences that will afect their development. Stress in children predisposes individuals toward stressful events that afect adulthood’s physical and mental disorders. 4 Te incidence of adverse childhood experiences originating from unpleasant experiences during childhood infuences children’s success at higher education levels. 5 Te study on the learning capacity to memorize Quran becomes a concern to optimize children’s overall development. Hence, this study aims to determine the relationship between the Quran memorization and early childhood development through the neuroscience approach.