Early Birds Istanbul joined the first Outdoor Experiential Learning Congress 2024

The OELC 2024 Congress organized by the ENKA team, which took place in Istanbul on May 25th, was a great success. Many thanks to the OELC `24 team!

Charlotte McAllister and I presented our book "Constructed Chaos - The Story of a Project-Based Preschool". The book was well received and we hope it inspires not only kindergartens and schools but also companies and families to create an environment centred around project-based learning.

Together with Tuğçe Kasap Bilaloğlu, we presented the “Earthoven Construction” project as described in the book, in the form of an outdoor hands-on workshop.

The participants were able to gather information about our most important insider tips, such as analyzing soil examples, how to create the best soil-straw-water mixture and, above all, the technique of pounding and turning the mixture into a homogeneous, soft mud-pie. The mass captivated everyone and many individual 3D oven models were created in just a few minutes.

With this workshop, we not only hope to pass on the extensive learning content of the natural cycle of a simple seed and oven building, but also want to contribute to preserving the tradition of the village oven and the community tied to it. A simple and enjoyable way to experience traditions and autonomy here in Türkiye.

By Regina Kruse-Özçelik - Founder of Early Birds Istanbul