Within the scope of SETAP (Sustainable Technological Adaptation Project), carried out in collaboration with Yeditepe University’s Department of E-Commerce and Ataşehir Municipality, children are invited this week to a colorful workshop focused on creativity, imagination, and self-expression!

In this special event titled “Dear Diary Workshop: Expressing Yourself with Collage, Color, and Everyday Objects”, children will explore the art of collage, experience the emotional impact of colors, and reinterpret everyday objects from a creative perspective.

Throughout the workshop, children will design their own unique collage pages using different textures, colors, patterns, and visuals. In doing so, they will not only experience artistic production processes but also discover different ways to freely express their thoughts and emotions.

Today, such creative and hands-on workshops help children improve their fine motor skills, increase their focus, and strengthen their imagination. At the same time, expressing oneself through art supports self-confidence development and helps children gain emotional awareness.

Through collage work, children will learn how to combine multiple elements to create new meanings, thereby developing creative thinking skills while also being introduced to the concepts of transformation and reuse in production processes.

Workshop Details:
Instructor: Research Assistant Zeynep Sarı, Yeditepe University Graphic Design Department
Date: May 13, 2026, Wednesday
Time: 15:30 – 16:30
Location: Ferhatpaşa Ataevi SHM

As part of SETAP workshops, children continue to experience new activities every week in the fields of art, design, technology, and sustainability alongside their mentors from the Department of E-Commerce.

This week as well, they will come together in a joyful new workshop centered around colors, imagination, and creative storytelling!

We Can’t Put Our Phones Down — But There Is a Cost

Many of us check our phones before sleep “just for 5 minutes.” Browsing social media, watching videos, or replying to messages has become part of our nightly routine. However, that short time often turns into hours.

Scientific studies show that nighttime screen use can significantly affect sleep patterns. Especially in the evening, the blue light emitted from phones and continuous content consumption can disrupt the brain’s natural resting process.

Why Do Phones Affect Our Sleep?

The blue light emitted from phone screens suppresses the production of melatonin in the brain. Melatonin is one of the most important hormones that helps the body prepare for sleep.

What Does the Harvard Study Say?

According to research from Harvard Medical School, blue light suppresses melatonin production more strongly than other types of light and delays the body’s internal clock.

Studies show that heavy screen exposure at night:

• Makes it harder to fall asleep
• Reduces total sleep duration
• Increases morning fatigue

In other words, while using a phone, the brain can receive signals that it is still “daytime.”

Social Media Keeps the Brain Constantly Active

The problem is not only screen light. The content we consume also keeps the brain highly stimulated.

In particular:

• TikTok videos
• Instagram Reels
• Fast-paced content feeds
• Games
• Night-time notifications

can continuously trigger the dopamine system. As the brain keeps expecting new content, it becomes harder to relax and wind down.

What Do Studies Show?

According to data from the National Sleep Foundation, individuals who use their phones before sleeping experience:

• Falling asleep later
• Lower sleep quality
• Lack of attention during the day
• Higher levels of fatigue

Especially among teenagers and students, increased nighttime screen time is linked to growing concentration problems.

Scientifically Supported Effects of Nighttime Phone Use

1. Sleep Duration Decreases

Research shows that people who go to bed with their phones tend to fall asleep later and get less total sleep.

The “just one more video” mindset keeps delaying the brain’s sleep time.

2. Deep Sleep Quality Is Reduced

Even if you fall asleep, you may not rest properly.

Experts suggest that REM and deep sleep stages can be negatively affected by screen use, leading to waking up tired.

3. Attention and Memory Issues May Increase

Lack of sleep directly affects the brain’s ability to learn.

Especially in students, this can lead to:

• Reduced attention span
• Difficulty focusing
• Learning difficulties
• Lower daytime performance

4. Stress and Anxiety Levels May Rise

Spending long hours on social media at night can increase anxiety in some individuals.

Constant information flow and comparison culture can cause mental fatigue. Heavy content consumption late at night makes it harder for the brain to relax and recover.

World Health Organization and Expert Recommendations

The World Health Organization and sleep experts recommend reducing screen time before going to bed.

Many specialists suggest:

• Avoiding screens at least 30–60 minutes before sleep
• Keeping the phone away from the bed
• Using night mode settings
• Turning off notifications

Simple Steps for Better Sleep Quality

Small but Effective Habits You Can Apply

• Try reading a book before sleep
• Put your phone on silent mode
• Avoid using social media in bed
• Turn on blue light filters
• Create a 30-minute phone-free routine
• Reduce short-form video consumption at night

Conclusion

Even though phones are an essential part of daily life, nighttime usage habits can directly affect sleep health. Scientific research clearly shows that blue light and constant digital stimulation make it harder for the brain to rest properly.

Maybe the first step toward better sleep is simply putting the phone down a little earlier at night 🌙📱

“An Evening Away from Technology, Closer to Fun”

Spending quality time together as a family can sometimes become difficult amid long screen times, phone notifications, and social media. Yet even a small “tournament night” at home can create unforgettable memories. And the best part is that you do not need expensive equipment or large-scale preparations — just a few games, a little friendly competition, and plenty of laughter.

In this article, we have gathered fun home tournament ideas that both children and adults can enjoy together.

Why a Tournament Night?

Tournament nights are not just about having fun. They also:

• Strengthen family communication
• Boost children’s self-confidence
• Teach teamwork and healthy competition
• Reduce screen time
• Encourage spending quality time together

They can be a wonderful alternative, especially on weekends or special occasions.

1. Board Game Tournament

The Most Classic and the Most Fun Option

Board games are one of the easiest tournament ideas to organize at home.

Games You Can Play

• Uno
• Monopoly
• Jenga
• Taboo
• Scrabble
• Chess
• Bingo

Points can be awarded after each game, and at the end of the night, a “Family Champion” can be chosen.

2. Quiz Night (Trivia Night)

Who Knows More?

Mini quiz competitions can be organized among family members.

Category Suggestions

• Movies & TV series
• Football
• General knowledge
• Music
• Children’s questions
• History
• Technology

You can keep screen time to a minimum by using the phone only for reading the questions.

3. Silent Movie (Charades) Tournament

An Activity Guaranteed to Bring Laughter

Film, profession, or animal names are written on slips of paper. Teams take turns acting them out without speaking.

Ideas to Increase the Fun

• Set a time limit
• Add a bonus round
• Create a special category for children

This game becomes especially fun in larger family groups.4.

4. Mini Sports Tournaments

Even small physical activities at home can create great fun.

Suitable Ideas for Home

• Pillow carrying race
• Paper airplane competition
• Bottle bowling game
• Mini bowling
• Balloon volleyball

It helps children release energy while also creating an active and fun evening.

5. Kitchen Competition

This Time, the Chefs Compete

Organizing mini cooking competitions as a family is a very enjoyable activity.

Competition Ideas

• Best pizza design
• Dessert decorating competition
• Most creative toast
• Blind taste test game

At the end, everyone can score each other’s recipes.

Retro Game Night

A little nostalgia always works wonders.

Old-School Games

• City–Country (Name-Place-Thing)
• Telephone game
• Five stones
• Tic-tac-toe
• Hangman

It can be especially meaningful when parents teach their childhood games to their children, creating beautiful shared memories.

Ideas to Make Tournament Night Even More Fun

✅Prepare a scoreboard
✅Give small prizes to the winners
✅Create team names
✅Set up a photo corner
✅Arrange a snack table
✅Put phones aside for a set period of time

Conclusion

Sometimes the most beautiful memories are not made outside, but right in the living room at home. Small games, friendly competition, and just a few hours spent together can strengthen family bonds. In today’s world of constant technology use, sometimes all it takes is turning off the screens and simply enjoying time together.

Maybe this weekend, a new champion will be crowned in your home 🎲🏆

During the sixth-week workshop organized within the scope of SETAP (Sustainable Technological Adaptation Project), children explored the answers to these very questions together. The “Sustainable Design” workshop, organized through the collaboration of Ataşehir Municipality and Yeditepe University’s Department of E-Commerce, became a creative learning space where children both experienced production processes and became closely acquainted with the concept of sustainability. It also represented the first spark of future designers in the making.

What Is Sustainable Design?

Sustainable design is an approach that aims to use natural resources responsibly, reduce waste, and produce without harming the environment. Today, due to rapid consumption habits, many products quickly become waste, whereas sustainable design encourages the reuse of existing materials and promotes long-lasting production. Especially in the textile industry, leftover fabrics, yarns, and production materials can be transformed into reusable products through creative ideas. In this way, both the environment is protected and consumption habits become more conscious.

This approach is not limited to recycling alone. It also encourages individuals to question production processes, consume only what they need, and recognize the value of resources. Awareness gained at an early age contributes to raising more environmentally conscious individuals in the future.

Why Should Sustainability Be Learned in Childhood?

Instilling sustainability awareness during childhood is of great importance for raising environmentally conscious individuals in the future. Childhood is one of the most critical developmental stages during which habits, values, and ways of thinking are formed. Behaviors learned at this age can evolve into lifelong awareness rather than short-term habits. Practices such as saving water, understanding the importance of recycling, consuming only what is necessary, or reusing unused materials become a natural part of children’s daily lives when learned early.

Today’s culture of rapid consumption directly affects children as well. From toys and clothing to digital devices and everyday products, many items quickly lose their value and are discarded. For this reason, it is highly important for children to become familiar with the concepts of “reusing” and “transforming” instead of simply “consuming” from an early age. Sustainability education not only teaches children to protect the environment, but also helps them understand that resources are not unlimited and that every product has a production process and environmental impact.

Sustainability education delivered through hands-on workshops makes the learning process more permanent and meaningful for children. When children create a new product by reusing a material, they learn the concept of recycling not only theoretically but also through direct experience. This process supports their creativity while also developing problem-solving, productive thinking, and responsibility skills.

Sustainability awareness gained in childhood also creates an important social impact. Environmentally conscious individuals not only change their own habits but can also influence the people around them. In this way, a culture of sustainable living can be passed down from generation to generation. Considering that today’s children will become the consumers, producers, and decision-makers of the future, sustainability education can be seen as a long-term investment in a more livable world.

What Happened During the Workshop?

The event, held on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Ferhatpaşa Ataevi SHM, was guided by Research Assistant Bike Başaran from the Department of Textile and Fashion Design at Yeditepe University. The workshop focused on sustainable fashion, recycling, and conscious consumption. One of the most remarkable aspects of the event was that children, together with university student mentors, created completely original products using simple materials.

Throughout the workshop, children wrapped colorful wool pieces around cardboard to produce different designs. What initially appeared to be ordinary wool and cardboard pieces transformed into vibrant decorative products in the hands of the children. Some combined different colors to create patterns, while others experimented with textures to develop their own unique designs. In this way, children not only improved their manual skills but also experienced firsthand how unused materials could be repurposed.

During the workshop, the concept of sustainability was conveyed not only through theoretical explanations but also through direct production experiences. The environmental impact of the textile industry, waste generated during production, and the damage caused by unconscious consumption were explained through simple examples. In particular, discussions focused on how the concepts of “reuse” and “recycling” could be applied in daily life. Children discovered that even small materials could be transformed into new products when used thoughtfully.

One of the most valuable aspects of the workshop was the active involvement of the children in the production process. As they wrapped wool around cardboard, their attention, patience, and planning skills developed. Through color choices and design decisions, they were also able to express their creativity freely. By observing one another’s work throughout the process, children experienced the importance of collaboration and shared production.

At a time when many children spend most of their time consuming fast-paced digital content, this workshop offered them a different space where they could slow down. Touching materials, combining colors harmoniously, and creating a new product helped children move away from screens and focus on production. Realizing that every design requires effort, attention, and time became one of the most important lessons they gained during the process.

The colorful works produced at the end of the workshop demonstrated that sustainability is not only about protecting the environment. It is also an approach that involves rethinking production habits, using existing resources consciously, and developing creative solutions — all of which became visible through the children’s designs.

This workshop organized within the scope of SETAP became a memorable experience where children both developed environmental awareness and freely expressed their imagination in an enjoyable and educational atmosphere.

The event took place on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, at Ferhatpaşa Ataevi SHM under the guidance of Research Assistant Bike Başaran from the Department of Textile and Fashion Design at Yeditepe University. The workshop focused on sustainable fashion, recycling, and conscious consumption. Throughout the activities, the aim was not only for children to create designs, but also to encourage them to think about production processes, resource use, and environmental impacts.

Using wool pieces and various other materials, participants engaged in creative design activities. In this way, children had the opportunity to experience how materials considered “waste” could be reused and transformed. The hands-on practices supported the concepts of recycling, reuse, and environmentally friendly production through concrete examples.

Throughout the workshop, the objectives were for children to:

• develop awareness about sustainable living,
• understand the importance of the conscious use of natural resources,
• strengthen their creative thinking and problem-solving skills,
• question the environmental impacts of consumption habits.

The original works produced at the end of the event demonstrated that children were able to combine their imagination with environmental awareness. Important insights were gained regarding sustainability as not only protecting the environment, but also rethinking production and consumption habits.

In the coming weeks, new workshops focusing on technology, design, and sustainability will continue to be implemented.

As part of the SETAP (Sustainable Technology Adaptation Project), we continue to create and explore together with children in the 6th week of our workshop series.

This week, our focus is on “Sustainable Design.”
Throughout the workshop, children will be introduced to the concept of sustainability in textile and fashion. They will explore ideas such as recycling, reuse, and creative design. At the same time, they will both learn and develop their own creative designs.

The workshop will be led by Research Assistant Bike Başaran from the Department of Textile and Fashion Design at Yeditepe University, who will share her experiences with the children.

📅 May 6, 2026, Wednesday
🕒 15:30 – 16:30
📍 Ferhatpaşa Ataevi SHM

In this enjoyable workshop shaped by children’s imagination, we take small steps together toward a more sustainable world.