Dreams of Preschool Children with Earthquake Experience: The Case of Kahramanmaraş

Abstract

This study examines the dreams of children who have experienced an earthquake and subsequently started preschool education, as well as the reflections of these dreams in their drawings. The participants of the study consisted of 25 children aged 46–60 months attending a public independent preschool in Kahramanmaraş, the epicentre of the earthquake that occurred in Turkey on February 6, 2023. The study was designed based on a basic qualitative research model, utilizing the ‘Child Information Form’ prepared by the researchers and employing the ‘Drawing’ technique. The findings of the study reveal that the children’s drawings largely reflect earthquake-related themes in their dreams. In the children’s drawings, similar to those without any disaster-related experience, figures such as family members, houses, the sun, and the sea were present. However, it was also observed that they depicted changes in their daily routines, such as relocating to different cities, and used words like debris, damage, and security-related expressions—terms that are not typically part of their daily routines or conversations. In this context, the researchers recommended that teachers plan less structured activities and focus on activities that provide more opportunities for children’s interactions with one another.