Active Citizenship

Zagreb, Horizons – Pre-Primary school

In kindergarten Horizons we first spoke with children to see what they know about active citizenship or being active in general. We began with general questions such as: What does it mean to be active? How can we be active/What can we do to become and be active? What kind of activities there are? To some more precise ones that have the potential of turning us into truly active citizens. How can we be active in our environment? How can we be active for our environment?

We worked on this project and theme with two groups on two locations. Smart Pandas: Children of kindergarten Horizons live active citizenship. Being aware of our environment and the impact that active involvement can in our society, Smart Pandas decided to spread awareness of influence we have on our surrounding. Since our kindergarten is situated in forested part of Zagreb and children experience daily human influence on forests and greened areas we decided to raise awareness on how our consumption and reckless discard of recyclable materials can affect our beautiful forests and distance us from nature. What does it mean to be active? Ivana: Being active is playing on the playground and walking through forests.

Hrvoje: Being active means that we need to clean the trash so our parks are clean for us and animals. Andro: Being active means to be full of energy! Eli: Being active means we can stop people from making mistakes and hurting trees and

grass. Eva: being active means running, walking, exercising or riding a bike in parks and on grass. How can we be active, and what can we do to

become active?

Francis: We can go to parks a lot and pick up trash and take care of trees so we can walk in nature daily. Eva: We can tell people around us to stop throwing trash in the forest because it will hurt the trees and flowers. Petar: We can water trees when it’s hot so they wouldn’t be thirsty.

What kind of activities there are? Hrvoje: We can make cards for people to remind them that trash is ugly and smelly. Yuck! Andro: We can make medals for people who help us clean the trash around us! How can we be active in our environment? Zlatka: We can remember to pick up trash after them. Hrvoje: We recycle trash! How can we be active for our environment? Ivana: We can use rags instead of paper towels so more trees can live! Lukas: We can remember to keep our park clean.

While Smart Pandas worked on recycling and cleaning Smart Bears turned their focus on aesthetics and decorating their immediate environment. Smart Bears: What does it mean to be active? For Smart bears to be active means: playing, singing, painting, practicing, biking, drawing eggs, dancing, colouring big giant egg, cutting on the line, having a haircut, play hockey and soccer, ice-skating, walking, running, flaying. It means you’re making, you can do ball, you can dance. You can love someone and be someone’s friend. Find things. How can we be active, and what can we do

to become active? We can jump real high; put shoes on, clean, share things; jump in the sea from real high, play, eat; be stronger, help each other, be good, do something. What kind of activities there are? Sports, exercising, something where you need to listen everything, talking. How can we be active in our environment? We can run, play, play with balls, dance, draw, move branches, be careful, play in the park, be good in the store, listen, sleep, cook, go somewhere, skateboard, skip rope. How can we be active for our environment? We can put decorations, paint, put some lamps, put everything on the spot, put on a star on the tree, paint to be nicer; water to be flower nice.

More green and grass around our kindergarten

Apple trees and a pet cat. Also to paint the walls outside to make them happier.

Bigger trees for climbing in the forest and apple trees for apples and a cat for a pet.

Decorate the Kindergarten outside with lights and decorations.

All of the children’s ideas on how to approach the issue of being an active citizen and the main message they wanted to show and give to our community were presented on a giant eggs exhibition in a local shopping mall during Easter time.

Since issuance of the Active Magazine’s 4th edition we talked with our principal about our wishes and came to some understanding. The groups will get a pet fish and a fish tank. Also we are still negotiating painting road system for us to ride our bicycles.