A Warm and Joyful Festival on a Chilly Winter Day

In collaboration with UNICEF, the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality initiated the expansion of early childhood services program in 2022. As part of this initiative, more than 6,000 Turkish and refugee children are benefiting from early childhood services in 20 playrooms established with UNICEF’s technical support.

The program, which recognizes families as an integral part of the process, has also engaged over 4,000 families through parental involvement seminars and workshops with their children to support their children’s holistic development. Toy libraries have been set up to provide children in Ankara with access to toys, allowing over 4,000 children to interact with toys and participate in art, music, and sports activities under the guidance of expert instructors. 

For children without access to municipal learning centers, early learning festivals and mobile playrooms on a bus have been organized, benefiting more than 5,000 children. The programme has been expanded by offering various access options to support children's holistic development both at home and in community centers and connect them with play-based learning experiences. As part of these efforts, organized for the second time this year, the Semester Kids Festival welcomed over 2,000 children and more than 2,500 parents.

Over two days, the festival brought together stage performances and hands-on workshops, creating the perfect balance of fun and learning during the semester break.

Best friends Asel (3) and Ada (3) were thrilled to be at the festival. "The kids were getting really bored at home during the break.  We’re so happy to be here—it’s a great experience for both them and us.” say their mothers. Ada, not missing an opportunity, hops onto the stage and introduces herself.

While all the stage performances were happening, another world of creativity unfolded in the back hall. Children dove into hands-on workshops, making beaded bracelets, handprint art, wooden peg crafts, clay stamping, and marbling.

Umut (5), a returning festival goer, was fully focused as he kneaded clay in the workshop. When asked which activity he liked the most, he beams and says, "All of them!"

One of the teachers Fatma, highlighted the importance of these activities, saying, "Through these workshops, we’re not just encouraging creativity. We’re also supporting children’s psychomotor development, fine and gross motor skills, language, and social skills. The kids love the activities, and it’s wonderful to see them having such a great time with their families."

“Engaging children in various art activities and stage performances is essential for their holistic development, fostering creativity, fine motor skills, emotional expression, and cognitive growth” UNICEF Early Childhood Education Officer Derya Dostlar says, adding that activities like drawing, painting, and hands-on crafts help enhance problem-solving abilities, self-confidence, and communication skills.

“By incorporating early learning festivals into early childhood care and education programmes, we provide valuable opportunities for children and their parents to explore their creativity and spend meaningful time together,” she adds, also emphasizing that involving parents in those activities strengthens parent-child bonds, promotes positive interaction, and creates a supportive environment for emotional well-being.

The festival, which was made possible by financial support from BMZ through KfW Development Bank and in partnership with UNICEF, brought people together from different communities, aiming to contribute to the social cohesion process by fostering meaningful social interaction among individuals. The festival also gave access to early learning activities to children and their families and encouraged them to enroll into various learning opportunities.