Designing a preschool outdoor classroom in early childhood education: A case from istanbul

Abstract

This study aims to define the spatial requirements and establish a design strategy for preschool outdoor classrooms (POCs), emphasizing their educational significance and promoting broader implementation. Additionally, through POC arrangements, the article aims to enhance children's interaction with nature, diversify and support their experiences, and foster environmental awareness by increasing their engagement with the natural environment at an early age. Integrating design-based research with qualitative methods, the study was conducted in four phases: research, design, implementation, and evaluation. The research phase involved an extensive review of literature, international design guidelines, and outdoor education organizations to identify pedagogical foundations and essential design components. In the design phase, the required spatial elements and tools were defined, and a strategic framework was developed. A participatory approach was applied during the implementation phase to create a POC in Nisantepe, Istanbul, Türkiye, referred to as N-POC. The final phase evaluated the N-POC design based on established POC criteria. The study identified core spaces and tools essential for POC development and validated the proposed, context and content-based design strategy through the N-POC case, demonstrating its applicability and effectiveness