Happy birthday, Francke!

To mark the birthday of our namesake, the four oldest preschool groups dedicated March, 20th to the theme of August Hermann Francke.

The group “Abenteurer” lovingly created helping hands. The three-year-olds used this to highlight the core aspects of Francke’s social work (education for all, aid for the needy, practical training, and Pietist commitment). During the preparation, the children gained insights from the book ‘‘Die Kinder des Waisenhauses“ (published by the Verlag der Franckeschen Stiftungen). The artwork they created was placed alongside flowers at the founder’s monument.

The group  ‘‘Forscher“ organized a scavenger hunt throughout the entire foundation. At each stop (e.g., the prop library, the Altan, the botanical garden), there was plenty to discover and learn—and everyone had a great time in the process! After successfully completing the hunt, the four-year-olds received a custom-made certificate.

In the foundations' cabinet of curiosities the group ‘‘Schmetterlinge“ embarked on a very special exploration tour. The task was to find the most diverse range of large and sometimes tiny exhibits based on the printed clues—which wasn’t even easy for the childcare workers. Armed with pen and paper, the five-year-olds scoured the Cabinet of Artefacts and Natural Curiosities

and were actually able to locate all the artifacts and natural specimens.

The group “Weltentdecker” organized a scavenger hunt within the Francke Foundation grounds. At each station (e.g., the orphanage, Lindenhof, and the Francke Residence), the preschoolers tried to solve puzzles, answer questions, and find clues. They eagerly explored the grounds and were awarded a certificate upon successfully completing the hunt.

With great joy, curiosity, and team spirit, the daycare children not only gained exciting insights into the life and work of August Hermann Francke, but also experienced firsthand how important solidarity, helpfulness, and the joy of discovery are. Thus, the Francke celebration will remain in the memories of all participants as an eventful and meaningful day. We would like to thank all the staff at the Francke Foundations for their support!