Oyna · Yaşa · Dene · ÖğrenLearning through connection
Dubai · 2010
A mother’s experience. An educator’s response.
2010Where the OYDO story began
When teacher Nazife moved to Dubai with her four-year-old daughter Dila in 2010, she saw the challenges of growing up between languages firsthand. Dila was navigating Turkish, her mother tongue, alongside Arabic and English, the language of her schooling.
Nazife began asking how she could help children facing similar challenges. Over twelve years of academic research, observation and feedback from families, she developed OYDO’s play-based approach to language acquisition.
That personal starting point continues to shape OYDO: understanding the child first, then creating opportunities to learn through play.
Why we exist
Play is a child’s natural language.
With more screen time and busy family schedules, meaningful opportunities to play matter. OYDO makes that time purposeful.
01 · DISCOVER
Curiosity & creativity
Encourage children to explore ideas, solve problems and bring their imagination to life.
02 · CONNECT
Language & relationships
Support language skills alongside social and emotional development through shared experiences.
03 · GROW
Movement & confidence
Make space for active play, trying new things and growing confidence.
Our play leaders
Thoughtful mentors. Meaningful connections.
OYDO leaders are trained play mentors who build secure connections, inspire curiosity and make learning enjoyable.
They come from fields including child development, early childhood education, psychology, teaching, special education, art, drama and sport, or have successfully completed OYDO Academy training.
Care behind every connection
Our leader standards.
01 Reference checks
02 Interviews
03 Child safety training
04 Play-based learning training
05 Regular performance reviews
Every child is different
A visit shaped around them.
Play plans consider each child’s age, interests and developmental needs. Families receive a short development summary after each session.
Experiences can include creative play, art, storytelling, Turkish language development, optional English play, science experiments, movement, drama, nature exploration, attention and memory games, social-emotional activities and problem solving.
