Exploring nature and discovering potential in learning holidays

123 primary school children explored nature in the Hamburg area / 4th edition of the learning holidays in Hamburg with help alliance

With the so-called “Lernferien” or ‘learning holidays taking place all over Germany, our partner organisation climb, opens the way to a self-confident and courageous future for children who, due to their social background and the income of their parents, have little educational success and thus few opportunities in life. The ten-day educational programme includes learning times in which the children learn maths and German through play, as well as project afternoons with thematically appropriate excursions. Aspiring teachers work with these kids to unlock the potential they’ve been carrying inside them all along. help alliance supports the implementation of the learning holidays in Hamburg and Mainz with the project “Discovering potential in learning holidays“. In addition, employees of the Lufthansa Group have volunteered in the past.

Last year, three learning holidays were successfully implemented in Hamburg with the support of the help alliance. This could be continued, and in the spring of this year the fourth learning holidays already took place at three elementary schools. A total of 123 children took part, exploring nature and learning many exciting things along the way.

“The funniest thing about the learning holidays was seeing a child’s face when I told them that the games they had just been playing all along and winning were maths.”

– volunteer climb teacher, Hamburg

Especially after a year like 2020, which was marked by lockdowns and home schooling, it was important to get active with the children outside: Get off the sofa, turn off the TV, get into nature! That’s why the motto for this year’s spring break was “research” throughout Hamburg. The climb teachers organised excursions to the Inselpark, the forest and the Elbe. In no time at all, a “boring” German unit was transformed into an exciting scavenger hunt lasting several days, which not only taught the children how to read and understand each task, but also brought them bit by bit closer to their treasure. In addition, rubbish was collected together at the public places, thus creating awareness for the environment.

The discovery tours were a great way to show the young explorers new places, familiarise them with unfamiliar situations and sensitise them to topics such as environmental pollution and sustainability. The climb project management in Hamburg reported enthusiastically:

“A boy who hardly wanted to join the learning holidays blossomed in the forest and wouldn’t stop talking to me about animals, trees and the danger of pollution. Finally he was interested again!”

– climb project management, Hamburg

In keeping with this, the earth and nature were explored. Questions like: What animals are there and where do they live? What happens to rubbish after you throw it away? And how do volcanoes actually work? the children got to the bottom of these questions. The little explorers were so excited about the new findings about life on earth that they couldn’t stop marvelling when a classmate told them about her self-made world map and the diverse life on it.

The spring break was a great success. In the end, 123 primary school children who had no desire to do anything became passionate naturalists within two weeks. Through these innovative teaching methods and projects, the mostly discriminated and intimidated children discover their potentials and can go back to school motivated and strengthened after the holidays. In the summer holidays, learning holidays will take place again in Hamburg, Offenbach and Mainz – we are looking forward to discovering and reporting on them.