Exciting News: New School Playground Brings Joy to Children!
The primary school de Wereldster in Meerssen has recently upgraded their schoolyard, and the children are ecstatic! Thanks to a collaborative effort between the school and the municipality, a brand new schoolyard has been created for local kids to enjoy after school. The playground's redesign has made it even more appealing, providing a fun and engaging space for children to play. As a result, the children are over the moon and can't wait to explore every inch of their new playground.
Schoolyard Purpose: A Fun Place for Children to Play Even After School!
The primary school's playground is divided into two sections: the lower and upper school squares. The lower school playground is reserved exclusively for the school, while the upper school area has been made public. Our goal was to make the upper school area an attractive and engaging space for the children to play even after school hours. We're pleased to say that our efforts have paid off, providing a fun and safe area for youngsters to enjoy their free time!
More Fun in the Schoolyard: Increasing Playtime for Children!
According to the Headmistress, Christa Somers, the upgrades on the schoolyard have made a significant impact on the children's playtime. Both the lower and upper school squares have seen an increase in usage, with children from after-school clubs playing on the lower school square after school. The upper school playground has also seen maximum usage, with children filling the space after school. Some even ask their parents to let them stay an extra hour to play on the playground. This just goes to show how much the playground means to the children and how it has become a hub for their playtime activities.
The children are overjoyed
"The children are totally impressed with the square. They were also able to follow the process very closely. Every day the children would hang at the window: 'Oh, it only gets more beautiful!' A week later, it would be: 'Look, it's getting even more beautiful!' And that while the schoolyard wasn't even finished or played. The children were absolutely thrilled. The beauty of this schoolyard is that there is something for every child. Whether girls or boys, there is something fun for everyone. This can really be seen when they are playing. Girls and boys mix very well together and are not found in one specific part of the square." - Christa Somers
Freerunning is now part of gym classes
"Since Yalp Netherlands offered the workshop with a freerunner, we really noticed a change. For the children, freerunning became more challenging and attractive. It also made them very aware of what to do and how to use and combine the equipment. We also really notice that freerunning has improved as a result." - Christa Somers
When asked if the school still plans to teach Freerun one more time, Christa responded enthusiastically:
"The PE subject teacher has included freerunning in the curriculum and uses parkour during gym classes". That parkour is popular at De Wereldster primary school is evident according to headmistress Christa: "The PE teacher will soon also set up lessons for after school, and of course, no gymnasium is needed for that. The schoolyard is really ideal for that! This ultimately ensures that the children get better and better at it."
The Spark of Enthusiasm
"We really enjoyed working with Yalp. You naturally want to be inspired by the person you are in contact with, and in our case, that contact was through Ilonka, so that was fine. She was just so enthusiastic and came up with so many ideas herself. If someone deals with you in that way, you become very enthusiastic yourself. She not only listened to our question and need, but it was just so much more than that! Answering the client's question and then giving many more answers and ideas than you normally expect. That was really inspiring for us, which is very nice for both parties."
"Because the cooperation went so smoothly, it all happened naturally. Not only Ilonka but also Yalp's installers just radiated happiness. Even on one of the hottest days of the year, they worked through to get the new square finished. It was 36 degrees, but that didn't spoil the fun for the installers. Not a single employee sat reluctantly working. That is very special for us as a school to see." - Christa Somers