Our approach
Nature pedagogy, the Ministry programme and "there is no bad weather": how learning works at Yaban.
The forest is not a classroom; the classroom is in the forest.
The forest kindergarten idea was born in Denmark seventy years ago; today Germany has thousands of forest kindergartens. What they share is simple: children spend most of the day outdoors in every season, and the material of play is nature itself.
Yaban adapted this idea to the steppe and black pine forest of İncek. We adjust the daily rhythm to Ankara's harsh winter and hot summer, but the principle stays the same.
Four principles
The child's question
The programme is built from the questions children ask. A week of cones, a month of tracks in the snow.
Real work
Real tools, real soil, real fire; at the right age and with a teacher.
Slow time
Watching an ant for ten minutes is part of the programme too. We don't rush.
Small groups
At most 14 children and two teachers per group; everyone knows each other by name.
The Ministry programme in the forest
Yaban is a private kindergarten under the Ministry of National Education and follows the Ministry's Preschool Education Programme. The programme's outcomes in cognitive, language, social-emotional, motor and self-care areas are worked on outdoors, through real tasks.
Our teachers observe and record each child's development through the term; families receive a written development report once a term.
Risk and safety
We remove hazards; we manage risk together with the child.
We remove hazards the child cannot see, such as rotten branches, broken glass or deep water, by walking the grounds every morning. Risks the child can see, such as walking along a log or climbing a low branch, we don't try to remove; we teach the child to make their own assessment.
- A yearly written risk-benefit assessment for every play spot
- All teachers hold paediatric first aid certificates
- A first aid kit and radio with every group
- Whistle signals and a meeting tree: if lost, stop, call, wait
- Coloured trail markers along the boundary
When are we inside?
| Weather | What we do |
|---|---|
| Rain, snow, fog, cold | Outdoors, with the right clothes |
| Strong wind | Away from trees, in the open or in the shelter |
| Wind chill below −10 °C | Short rounds, frequent warm breaks |
| Above 30 °C (11:30–15:30) | In the shade or indoors |
| Lightning, storm warning | Indoors |
| Air pollution alert | Indoors |
Teachers decide together every morning; the "Today in İncek" line at the top of the site shows the day's outdoor hours.
What forest school is not
- It is not staying outside all day; lunch and rest are indoors.
- It is not a camp or a survival course.
- It is not neglecting school readiness; the Karayel group prepares for primary school.
- It is not leaving children in the cold; a warm shelter and dry clothes are always ready.