Children’s Workshop: Heirloom Seeds, Soil and Nature

Little hands meet the soil. At schools and at Şifa Köyü we sow heirloom seeds, plant seedlings, make candles and play with nature.

What do we do in the workshop?

First we get to know the seed: we hold it, smell it, guess which vegetable it belongs to. Then we fill the trays with soil, sow the heirloom seeds one by one and grow our own seedlings.

At schools with a garden we plant the seedlings in the ground together. The children follow their own seedling week by week, and the teachers are left with a story they can carry into the classroom.

The programme changes with the age group. With kindergarten and primary classes it is play, stories and seed sowing; with middle and high school students we plant in the garden, do a hands-on session in the kitchen and talk about natural living.

Heirloom seed sowing and seedling planting
Candle making workshop
Games about soil, compost and the cycle of nature
A short breathing and awareness practice for children

Where do we do it?

I come to your school. We talk through where to hold it and plan the materials together. If you like, you bring the class to Şifa Köyü in Şile: we walk through the greenhouse, sow seeds, spend time with our animals, draw under the pergola and rest with a short meditation.

Book readings and signing days

Book readings and signing days are also part of my work with children. With the Şifa Köyü book series I meet them at schools and bookshops, we read together, and then the seed trays and vegetables come out on the table: a seed sowing workshop and painting with vegetables. Because the characters in the books are the real people and vegetables of the farm, the children take the story into their own hands right away.

Write to us with your school, number of classes and age group; we plan the length and content together.

Frequently asked questions

What do children do in an heirloom seed workshop?

They start by getting to know the seed: holding it, smelling it and guessing which vegetable it will become. Then they fill trays with soil, sow the heirloom seeds one at a time and raise their own seedlings. Where a school has a garden, we plant the seedlings out together and the children watch them grow week by week.

What age groups are the children’s workshops for?

They’re for children from kindergarten right through to high school, and the programme changes with the age group. The youngest classes, kindergarten and primary, learn through games, stories and sowing seeds. Older students get into the garden to plant, work hands-on in the kitchen and join a conversation about natural living. Tell me the ages and we’ll plan it together.

Can you bring a nature workshop for children to our school?

Yes, I come to your school. We talk through where to hold it together. If you’d prefer an outing, you can bring the class to Şifa Köyü in Şile, Istanbul instead. There the children tour the greenhouse, sow seeds, draw under the pergola and take a rest with a short meditation.

Do you offer book readings and signing days for children?

Yes, I meet children at schools and bookshops with the Şifa Köyü book series. We read together first, and then the seed trays and vegetables come out for a seed sowing workshop and painting with vegetables. The people and vegetables in the books are real ones from the farm, so the story quickly becomes something the children can touch.

How do we book a children’s workshop for our school?

Write to us with your school, the number of classes and the age group. From there we plan the length and the content together, whether I come to you or you bring the class to Şifa Köyü. we’ll tell you which dates are free and what it costs once I know what you need.

Is there a farm near Istanbul where children can plant seeds?

Yes, at Şifa Köyü (Healing Farm) in Şile, Istanbul, children sow seeds with their own hands. We welcome kindergarten groups, school classes and older students. They walk through the greenhouse, fill trays with soil, sow the seeds one by one, draw under the pergola and rest with a short meditation. We grow from heirloom seeds, and our produce holds EU-approved organic farming certification. Write to us with the age group and we will plan the visit together.

Do you offer a farm workshop for primary school children on a school trip?

Yes, you can bring a primary school class on a school trip to Şifa Köyü (Healing Farm) in Şile, near Istanbul. With this age group we work through play, stories and seed sowing: the children hold the seed, smell it, guess its vegetable and sow it. Candle making and games about compost and the cycle of nature can be added. If travel is difficult, I, Merve Tüfekçi, come to your school instead. Write to us to plan the day.

What I have written on this

From my events

Moments from our events

Bilgi Kuram College, Şile With middle and high school students

ITU Foundation Schools, Beylerbeyi Campus Little hands meet the soil, heirloom seeds meet life

Seed sowing workshop With children at Şifa Köyü

Candle making workshop With a kindergarten group

Book reading and signing day D&R Göztepe and İstinye Park, readers of every age

Important information: These services are not intended as treatment and do not prevent or cure any illness. I am not a medical doctor; the sessions I give are experiential practices for personal awareness, spiritual exploration and wellbeing. If you have an ongoing health concern or treatment, please consult your doctor.

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