A visual and narrative adaptation of the Karagöz and Hacivat shadow play for early childhood education

This study aims to redesign the traditional Turkish shadow play, Karagöz and Hacivat, in terms of visual and content features suitable for preschool education. The preschool period is a critical phase in which children's cognitive, emotional, and social development foundations are established, and their visual perception and cultural awareness significantly improve. In this context, the use of educational materials that are visually rich, pedagogically appropriate, and culturally meaningful plays an essential role. The original stage designs, character models, and scripts of the traditional Karagöz and Hacivat shadow play include complex language and visual elements that are often unsuitable for preschool children. Therefore, this study investigates the historical and cultural background of the shadow play and proposes simplified, age-appropriate stage designs, character models, and scripts to support effective use in early childhood education. A qualitative research method was adopted in the study. The research process included literature review, analysis of existing shadow play content, and composing new visual and narrative contents. Based on the findings, new visual and narrative designs were developed that reflect cultural values while addressing the cognitive and perceptual characteristics of preschool children. As a result, the study presents an original application model that contributes to the preservation of cultural heritage and offers Karagöz and Hacivat as an effective visual communication tool for preschool education.