Is my city friendly?

• check list with characteristic elements of a friendly city (attachment), printed out for every child
• story “A friendly city” from the book „Safe houses — Friendly cities”

Read the story “A friendly city” to the children. Point out the main motifs in the story – the elements which make the city friendly to both its residents and visitors. Ask the children what terms “the city of their dreams” and “a city friendly for everyone” mean to them. Is the city they live in, in their opinion, friendly for everyone? Or maybe there are some aspects they would like to improve or change?

Then, go for a trip to assess the surroundings of the school or kindergarten in the real space for the presence of the marks of a “friendly city” shown in the story.

Use the attachment — the check list with characteristic elements of a friendly city. Pay attention to the presence and proximity of various elements of urban space:

IMPORTANT BUILDINGS AND SITES:

• health centre
• bakery
• school
• kindergarten
• sports ground
• library
• gallery, museum, cinema
• grocery

GREEN AREAS:

• park, green square
• forest
• flowery meadow
• newly-planted trees
• lake, pond, river
• green building (a building with vines growing up the walls)

OTHER:

• bike path
• zebra crossings
• pavements — pay attention to the height of the curbs: aren’t they too high for wheelchairs or the elderly
• solar panels on buildings
• rainwater tanks

 

TIME TO GO BACK!

After returning to the school/kindergarten, ask the children how they rate the friendliness of their city. Do they think that everything is as it should be or would they make any changes? Perhaps they would plant more trees and additional greenery along the roads and pavements.  Is the height of the curbs an obstacle for some people?

* The next day ask the children to draw a friendly city. Then, discuss the children’s drawings with them.