How can we design a school where children genuinely want to spend their days?

☀️ While school hallways are quiet for the summer, the ideas generated by our young designers are keeping us busy working on ways to make youth participation and wellbeing a central part of their everyday environments!

Just before the school year wrapped up, our Future Blocks project team headed to Tallinna Mahtra Põhikool. Our mission? To run an energetic, one-day co-creation design sprint with their brilliant 6th graders to answer a crucial question: Why should a kid come to school? How can we design a school where children genuinely want to spend their days?

At Vivita Lahenduste Laboratoorium, we believe that kids are the ultimate experts on their own lives. Even though some initial language barriers made the morning start a bit hesitant (with many students adapting to Estonian-medium education), the magic of peer-to-peer translation and supportive mentoring quickly took over. By lunchtime, the buzz in the room was so electric that students were literally pulling their friends from the hallways to join the design tables! 💥

🛠️ From empathy mapping to rapid prototyping:
The students didn’t just talk about change - they rolled up their sleeves and built physical models of their ideas:
The "Box of Freedom" 📦: A safe, anonymous channel to share bold ideas and report bullying without social pressure.
The Ultimate Chill Zone 🛋️: A cozy relaxation room with comfortable seating and games to destress and connect.
Smart Classroom Upgrades 🪑: Foldable, modular desks and customizable vertical spaces to keep cramped classrooms functional.
Rethinking the School Day 🏃‍♂️: Active breaks and shorter lesson blocks to combat mental and physical exhaustion.
Canteen Idea Box 🍕: A direct feedback line to the school kitchen—because student-approved menus make for happier school days!

By the end of the sprint, the room was filled with proud smiles, wild prototypes, and kids asking when the next session would start. This is the power of giving children the tools, the trust, and the agency to solve real-world challenges.

Enjoy your well-deserved summer break, everyone! We're busy translating these awesome ideas into actionable designs for the next school year. 📝✨

🇪🇺 Funded by the European Union. (The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union.)

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