Thanks to you, children could enjoy a summer filled with new experiences.

This summer, we once again helped children in our community centres and Klubovňa spaces take their first steps out. Here is a small selection of what they experienced during the summer holidays.

A barbecue, a trip to the zoo, a summer camp, or simply an afternoon full of games. For many children, these are a natural part of the summer holidays. For others, they are a rare opportunity to experience something new, spend time with their peers, and discover the world beyond their everyday routine. There are still children in Slovakia who have very few opportunities like these.

Families living in intergenerational poverty often cannot afford transport, entrance fees, or other costs associated with trips and leisure activities. As a result, children spend much of their free time close to home and do not always have access to a safe space, organised activities, or people with whom they can spend their time meaningfully.

That is why, during the summer, we create opportunities for children from our community centres and Klubovňa spaces to enjoy new experiences. We organise trips, camps, sports and creative activities, as well as simple afternoons spent together at the centre or nearby.

But it is not just about having fun. New experiences and new places give children skills and confidence that help them navigate the world beyond their everyday surroundings and routines. They learn to communicate with new people, follow rules, work together, make decisions, and cope with situations they have not encountered before.

So what did these first steps out look like in practice? Take a look at what the children experienced this summer.

Driving school, first aid and talent in Sveržov

At the Sveržov Community Centre, we organised a four-day day camp during the summer. This year’s theme was driving school.

Through games, the children learned the rules of the road, tried driving their own “cars”, and learned the basics of first aid with the help of a volunteer. The final day was dedicated to the Community Centre’s Got Talent competition, where they sang, danced and recited poems.

At the end of each day, we also talked with the children about how they were feeling, using cards depicting different emotions to help them express themselves.

“The emotion cards worked really well for us. The children were able to say what they liked, but also what they were not happy with. It gave them space to talk openly about how they experienced the day,” says Adela Basaríková from the Sveržov Community Centre.

From Kojatice to the forest and secondary school

In Kojatice, we combined summer activities with trips into nature and opportunities to think about the future.

One group of children set off through the forest to a nearby meadow. Together, they had a barbecue, played football and spent the day outside their usual surroundings. Older boys visited the Secondary Technical Vocational School in Prešov, where they toured the workshops and classrooms and learned about the study programmes they could choose after finishing primary school.

“The bricklaying programme attracted the most interest. The boys asked lots of questions, and the instructor explained what the training involves and what the job itself is like,” says Lýdia Marchevská from the Kojatice Community Centre.

A Roma youth leader from Chminianske Jakubovany also came to meet the young people. He shared his own journey through education, the obstacles he had faced, and why he decided to continue studying. The meeting ended with a joint dance workshop.

The summer programme in Kojatice also included a four-day Native American-themed camp held directly at the community centre. The children formed three tribes, built a campsite, came up with their own rules and, as part of an adventure story, searched for lost treasure, rescued a stray coyote, and made headdresses, talismans and necklaces. They also spent one day with corporate volunteers from the Beckman Coulter Charity Club, exploring the world under a microscope. A camp like this is another opportunity for children to try new things, work with others, and discover that the world offers many more possibilities than those they know from their everyday surroundings.

Bowling and football in Petrovany

During the summer, young people from the Petrovany Community Centre tried bowling in Prešov. The trip was also a way of thanking those who had been regularly involved in the life of the centre throughout the year and had helped with activities for younger children.

“We keep reminding them that it’s not just about winning. After bowling, they said themselves that they had had a great time and were already looking forward to our next trip together,” says Margita Janovičová from the Petrovany Community Centre.

Petrovany also hosted a football tournament for community centres. Football is one of the most popular activities there, and the children prepare for the tournament throughout the year. Events like this give children a simple but important experience: playing with someone they have never met before, learning how to handle both winning and losing, and being part of a team.

Sports and conversations about emotions in Banská Bystrica

During the camp in Banská Bystrica, children also explored their emotions through experiential activities.

They talked about where they feel emotions in their bodies, what happens when those feelings become overwhelming, and what can help in difficult moments. They identified their own “helpers” – such as talking to someone, movement, music, drawing or rest. At the end, they created their own safety boxes to turn to whenever something was troubling them.

There was also plenty of movement and fun. The children visited Bounce Park, where they jumped, played and, most importantly, enjoyed spending time together outside their usual environment. The activities in Banská Bystrica brought together children who had arrived in Slovakia from Ukraine at different times and often had not known one another before the camp.

Creating, playing sports and discovering new places in Žilina

The Klubovňa in Žilina also prepared a varied summer programme for children. They visited the zoo, created a fairy tale at the city library, carried out experiments at the University of Žilina, played sports, took part in creative activities and spent plenty of time in free play.

In the afternoons, children from the local neighbourhood also came to the Klubovňa and joined the children from Ukraine. They played and did sports together, naturally forming new connections. One child summed up the atmosphere of the camp simply: “This camp is better than being on my phone.”

In the end, what children remembered most from the zoo were the people

The summer camp in Žilina also brought some important feedback. When we asked the children at the end of the week what they had enjoyed most, their answers included not only the new places they had visited and experiences they had shared, but also the people they had shared them with.

“Among the organised activities, they mentioned the zoo. Otherwise, the names of our interns and volunteers kept coming up again and again,” says Nina Gubišová from the Žilina Klubovňa.

These were the people who played games and sports with the children, talked to them, or simply gave them their time.

“A camp doesn’t have to be filled with expensive or elaborate activities. When we have people who enjoy being with children and want to spend time with them, we already have what matters most,” Nina adds.

This also captures what our summer activities are really about. New places and experiences matter, but just as important are the people children share them with. Adults who accompany them, give them their time, listen to them and respect their boundaries create a safe space where children can try new things and gain new experiences.

Thank you for helping us take first steps out

This summer, we were once again able to organise some of these activities thanks to the donors who supported the First Steps Out Gift. Thank you to everyone who helps us create new experiences for children.

By purchasing the First Steps Out Gift, you can support more trips and activities that should be a natural part of every child’s childhood.