Picnic in Białka – A Day of Joy, Community, and Partnership
On 31 May 2025, the Montessori Farm School in Białka hosted an extraordinary picnic organised as part of the Montessori Erdkinder project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme. The event gathered around five hundred participants—students, parents, teachers, and friends of the partner schools. It was a day filled with joy, shared activities, meaningful conversations, and genuine international cooperation, offering everyone a chance to experience what Erdkinder education looks like in practice: learning through work, real experiences, and a close relationship with nature.
A rich programme of activities reflecting the everyday life of the Farm School community was prepared for all guests. Children and adolescents had the opportunity to work with wood during carpentry workshops, create floral arrangements using natural materials, model clay while developing their creativity and manual skills, and explore the basics of gardening by learning about soil, plant growth, and ecological responsibility. Sports activities and team games were equally popular, helping students from different countries build relationships and integrate through movement, collaboration, and play.
One of the most memorable elements of the event was the presence of a local beekeeper, who shared fascinating insights into the life of bees and their essential role in the ecosystem. Participants explored beekeeping tools, examined a demonstration hive, listened to stories about the work of an apiary, and tasted fresh honey. The educational dimension of the picnic was further enhanced by representatives of the State Forests, who led workshops on forest protection, biodiversity, sustainable forestry, and responsible use of natural resources. Their stand attracted great interest from children and adults alike.
Throughout the day, students presented short performances that filled the event with joy and celebratory energy. All partner schools involved in the project were represented at the picnic, giving it a truly international dimension. Students and teachers from several countries had the opportunity to observe the daily functioning of the Farm School, meet its team, take part in activities, and exchange experiences related to implementing the Montessori Erdkinder project in their respective countries.
The picnic offered a vivid demonstration of learning through doing—an approach rooted in cooperation, autonomy, and shared responsibility. In true Erdkinder spirit, young people actively engaged in every aspect of the event, working, creating, exploring, and learning from one another. The chance to observe the Farm School “from the inside,” combined with shared workshops and informal conversations, allowed participants to experience the Montessori philosophy in its authentic form, where relationships, purposeful work, and real-life practice form the foundation of adolescent development.
Parents, students, and teachers emphasised the exceptional atmosphere of the event—its openness, warmth, energy, and genuine sense of community. The picnic became an important milestone in the project, strengthening partnerships and giving tangible expression to the work carried out within the Montessori Erdkinder initiative. The project, implemented under Erasmus+ (KA220-SCH-06406257), aims to develop practical, interdisciplinary educational programmes and foster international cooperation that supports young people in building independence, responsibility, and the ability to function confidently in the real world.
