NATURE LITTLE ONES FESTIVAL IN CROATIA

 https://os-sradica-metkovic.skole.hr/nature-little-ones-festival/

On June 3, 2026, the Stjepan Radić Elementary School garden hosted the Nature Festival for the youngest, which was planned as one of the final joint-inter-partner events of the Erasmus + project Artistic Journey to Green Future. The festival was open to students, parents and the wider local community and promoted environmental awareness, sustainable development and active participation of children in environmental protection through various workshops and interactive activities.

Festival goals

The festival had several important goals:

• develop participants' sensitivity towards nature and the environment and encourage a deeper understanding of contemporary ecological challenges
• promote the exchange of good practice examples and environmentally responsible habits among students and partner countries involved in the project
• empower the local community to participate more actively in environmental protection
• encourage children to adopt sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle habits
• develop creativity, collaboration and responsibility through practical workshops and experiential learning

Workshops and leaders

During the festival, visitors could participate in several thematic stations: illustrating, recycling, upcycling, and an art station.

Kata Jelačić - Workshop "Wool Angels"

Students in 4th grade C made angels out of wool and other available materials. Through the workshop, they developed creative skills and learned how simple materials can gain new value through handicrafts and artistic expression.

Sandra Šutalo - Magnets with native motifs

4th grade students, led by their teacher, participated in a creative workshop on making magnets from scrap wood. They painted wooden pieces with motifs characteristic of their homeland, combining artistic expression with the principles of sustainability and material reuse. In this way, they demonstrated how waste materials can be transformed into unique and valuable souvenirs that promote local heritage and care for the environment.

Ivana Čarapina - Blackout Poetry - hidden words for a greener world

6th and 6th graders participated in a creative workshop designed by the school librarian. Blackout Poetry is an interesting combination of literature, fine arts, and creative expression. Starting from pre-prepared texts in English, students found or highlighted words that, when read in order, revealed strong environmental messages such as Nature needs our care, Clean water is life, Plant trees, grow hope. After discovering the message, they turned the rest of the text into a work of art using the blackout and illustration technique. Special attention was paid to motifs from nature. Around the selected words, drawings of trees, flowers, rivers, forests, animals, and other natural beauties that surround us every day and remind us of the importance of preserving them were created. The workshop showed students how even an ordinary page of text can create a unique work of art, and how a few carefully chosen words can convey a strong message about responsibility towards the environment. The resulting works testify to the creativity of our students, but also to their awareness that small changes and small steps can contribute to creating a more beautiful and greener world.

Vesna Pavlović - From jar to decoration

Students in grades 6 and 7 made decorative objects using jars and other materials that they gave a new purpose to. By combining shells, ropes, and various decorative elements, they created original works, developing creativity and awareness of the possibilities of reusing objects in everyday life.

Anka Milinković - Colorful threads of creativity

Teacher Anka and her students presented the works created during the knitting workshops. The students knitted garments from wool of different colors and learned the basics of this traditional craft. Visitors had the opportunity to see their previous works, among which scarves, hats, and other knitted items stood out. The workshop encouraged patience, precision, creativity, and the development of practical skills.

Ante Leko - Colorful baskets for a more beautiful playground

Under the guidance of art teacher Ante Leko, students painted waste bins located on the school playground, a space where they spend time every day during recess. Through art design and the creation of motifs related to nature and environmental conservation, students gave ordinary objects a new, more attractive look. The activity contributed to the beautification of the school space and further raised awareness of the importance of proper waste disposal and caring for the environment.

Zvonimir Mandić and the Impact Association - Recycling in Action

In collaboration with the Impact Association, teacher Mandić and his students participated in an educational workshop during which students had the opportunity to learn about the plastic recycling process. Members of the association presented machines for grinding plastic waste and devices that make new usable items from recycled plastic. Through a practical demonstration, students saw firsthand how plastic waste can become a valuable resource and learned more about the importance of recycling and responsible waste management.

Marijana Curić - Nature through the eyes of children

2nd grade students participated in an outdoor art workshop during which they used acrylic paints to paint canvases inspired by nature. The workshop was held in the school garden, where benches were arranged in a U-shape, creating a pleasant and stimulating space for creativity.

Observing the natural environment and relying on their own imagination, the students independently chose motifs and depicted their vision of nature on canvas. The resulting works demonstrated the richness of children's creativity, the diversity of their experiences of nature, and their ability to express feelings through art.

Feedback and sustainability

As part of the festival, a book of impressions was set up called "My Message to the World" , in which visitors wrote their impressions, suggestions and messages about the importance of nature conservation. The collected messages will be used to evaluate the project and plan future activities.

In order to ensure the sustainability of the project, it is planned that the festival will continue to be held in the coming period and continue to connect the school, students and the local community through activities focused on environmental protection.

International connection and monitoring of the festival

Teacher and project coordinator, Marijana Curić, organized an online meeting via Google Meet during which partner schools had the opportunity to follow the activities of the Nature Little Ones Festival in real time. This way, students and teachers from partner countries could learn about the workshops conducted and participate in a joint project event.

During the festival, she conducted interviews with teachers and students who presented their activities. Participants explained the process of creating the works, spoke about the materials and techniques used, and shared their impressions and experiences gained from participating in the festival. In this way, the course of the activities was recorded, and the partners were able to better familiarize themselves with the school's work and the results of the project.

Google Meet- partners could see and follow activities

Documentation and promotion of the nature festival

The school principal, Tomislav Tomić, was in charge of photographing and filming the festival activities and creating video materials. He also prepared and published content on the school's Instagram page, contributing to the visibility of the festival and promoting the work of students, teachers and partners involved in the project. Some photos were taken from the Metković.hr portal

Part of the activity is financed from EU funds.

Written by; teacher Marijana Curić, event coordinator