Bee hotel gets kids to play more

De Negensprong Everberg

Oktober 4, 2019 - Interview with Annelies Philips, principal of De Negensprong in Everberg

And then there was an idea

The idea to become greener came after all of us, the teacher team, saw that the kids were bored on the playground and sometimes started bullying each other. We heard that going greener and having more insects could offer a solution. So we basically wanted to go green against boredom!
In the news, we read about the shortage of bees, so it was an easy decision. We would get to work and start a bee hotel with a vegetable garden and bee-friendly flower patch. That way, we do something for nature and maybe nature will do something for us.

"If there are no bees,

there are no plants

and we’ll die."

Quote from a 5th year pupil at De Negensprong

Okay, an idea! What now?

step 1: a supported idea, is worth two

To make this idea succeed, it had to be supported by everyone. We assembled a work group: the student council and a couple of teachers from pre-school, the lower and higher grades. With the work group, we thought about the layout of the entire playground. We didn’t want a playground full of playground equipment and looked for inspiration at ‘Kind en Samenleving’ (Child and Society) to draw up our plans.

step 2: now very concrete

Together with MOS, we drew up an educational plan around the bee hotel, the flower patch and vegetable garden. One class really looked into the different kinds of bees, another made little bee hotels to hang up at home. Every class contributed. The inauguration of the bee hotel on our bee ball was the finalization of the entire educational project. That day we, among other things, cooked with honey and handed out flower seeds.
For the realization, we got a subsidy from the province of Flemish Brabant. The city of Everberg and MOS supported us in work and deed. An, from the organization ‘Regionaal Landschap Dijleland’ made the designs for the playground and helped with the organization and the development of the vegetable garden and the bee hotel. Our provincial MOS coach, guided the team through the entire educational project.

"If I were a bee, I would very well

take a look at our hotel.

See what you can do there.

See if I can stay there."

Quote from a 5th year pupil at De Negensprong

step 3: an idea needs to be maintained

Maintenance is divided across the different classes. We also organize gardening days for pupils, teachers and parents.
During vacations, the vegetable garden is taken care of by the parents committee and the people that organize vacation activities at school. In exchange, they can pick free strawberries, tomatoes or zucchinis.

The impact of the idea

The power of this project is in the fact that we could come up with, design and realize this entire thing together with the kids.

We notice that the kids play a lot more now. So it’s an absolute win-win! I look completely different at bees myself now too. I just saw one on my lavender at home. It intrigues me more and I notice the same is true for the kids.

"It’s fun during recess

to work in the vegetable garden.

You help the bees and yourself

and you do something with the entire school.

More bees means more fruit and veg!"

Quote from a 5th year pupil at De Negensprong

Aaaaaaargh! (Fear of an idea)

I was a bit scared at first. I thought: oh boy, is it all going to work out? But it all ran very smoothly. Everyone helped with their own talents.
We initially had to get rid of our prejudices about bees. People often have mixed feelings about them. Bees sting! But that’s not true. Not every kind of bee stings. Together with the organization ‘Regionaal Landschap Dijland’ and MOS, we organized a fun and accessible info evening for parents, to also take away their prejudices and fears about bees.
There was also a lot of fear among the teachers: ‘Yes but, I don’t know anything about bees.’ But that’s okay. It’s a joint learning process.

"I used to think that bees

would sting me and

that I would die.

But that’s not true."

Quote from a 5th year pupil at De Negensprong

A report by Wat Met De Koekjes (2020)