2ND CHILDREN'S WORKSHOP: LITTLE HEARTS, BIG QUESTIONS
2nd Children's Workshop: Little Hearts, Big Questions – How Can We Explain Abstract Concepts to Children?
Organized by the Bülbülzade Foundation Teacher Education Unit, the 2nd Children’s Workshop was held under the title “Little Hearts, Big Questions: How Can We Explain Abstract Concepts to Children?”. Educator-Author Şule Kala and Clinical Psychologist Merve Doğanlar gave presentations at the workshop.
The opening speech was delivered by Hatice Neşe Çandır, a member of the Education and Teacher Unit. Emphasizing the aim of the second children’s workshop, Çandır stated: “How should we as adults respond to children's abstract questions and what kind of attitude should we adopt? We will seek answers to these questions.” After the opening speech, the results of a survey conducted within the scope of the workshop were shared. In the survey, which evaluated the answers given by families to the questions children ask, the following points were made: “Children learn concepts such as good and evil by concretizing them; they evaluate their behavior through these images. Some participants, however, believe that misusing these images may lead to fear or pressure.” The Education Unit has carried out many educational activities for children, youth, and adults. It was also announced that two upcoming workshops will be held: the “Concept Workshop” and “Discussing Islam with Youth Workshop”.
The first presentation of the workshop was delivered by Educator-Author Şule Kala. She addressed how to respond to children's religious questions and provided participants with strategies for age-appropriate answers. Emphasizing the importance of nurturing children’s spiritual world, Kala said: “The answers given to children become seeds of faith. For these seeds to sprout, they need the soil of curiosity, the water of love, and the light of patience. Faith saplings can only flourish through a healthy religious education. It is important to highlight these values in conclusion.”
The second presentation was delivered by Clinical Psychologist Merve Doğanlar. She explained how the concept of faith is formed and how children make sense of it. She particularly focused on the questions that children ask their parents. Doğanlar also discussed the brain-based perception of reality, sharing detailed information about the neuropsychological development of children aged 4 to 12.
Following the presentations, workshop activities were conducted with the participants. The workshops were organized under four categories: Death–Afterlife, Heaven–Hell, Angels–Devil, and Good–Evil, based on questions children often ask their families. The aim was to seek answers to the questions: “What do children ask most, and how can we respond to them?”. The program concluded with the evaluation of the workshop results.
Click here for the survey results of the 2nd Children's Workshop.
