“Honey Adventures” at the ‘Glittery Summer School’ in Ip, Sălaj County

Between August 10 and 14, 2026, the Glittery Summer School for primary school pupils and preschool children from the Hungarian-language section of Secondary School No. 1 in Ip, Sălaj County, took place under the title “Honey Adventures.”

Coordinated by Maria Fazakas, primary school teacher, the summer school brought together 27 primary school children, four of whom had also been beneficiaries of the programme during the 2025–2026 school year. Kindergarten children also took part in the summer school.

For five days, stories, literacy activities, games and hands-on workshops revolved around the world of bees and honey, offering children many opportunities to learn, explore and discover.

Stories, words and… lots of honey

During the activities, the children read and explored stories, poems and non-fiction texts about bees, gingerbread houses, honey and bears.

“We played with sounds, letters, syllables and words. We told stories, wrote, drew, coloured, cut and glued. We played, had fun and took part in activities related to the theme,” says Maria Fazakas.

The “Honey Adventures” theme was also explored through hands-on experiences. The children learned about beekeeping, tried on a beekeeper’s protective suit and hat, tasted honey and pollen, and smelled a beeswax candle.

They baked and decorated gingerbread, counted colourful plaster bees, built honeycombs and visited ‘Ograda Fermecată’ (Enchanted Garden).

The programme also included activities designed to develop literacy skills using the ABEL method, games involving sounds, syllables, words and rhymes, writing exercises, drawing, colouring and cutting activities, painting and decorating workshops, as well as movement games.

A community involved in the children’s experience

Preparation for the activities began well in advance. Stories, songs and games were selected, worksheets and colouring pages were prepared, and all the necessary materials were purchased.

Six volunteers contributed to organising and running the Glittery Summer School: one teacher and five parents. Members of the local community were also involved, including a beekeeper and a pastry chef, who joined the activities and offered the children experiences directly connected to the theme of the summer school.

The joy of discovering that they “already knew how to read”

One of the most important outcomes observed during the week was the children’s enthusiasm for books and literacy activities.

“The children came with enthusiasm and browsed through the books we presented. The children who are about to start the preparatory grade were delighted to discover that they already knew how to read the text created using the ABEL method,” the teacher said.

The Summer School therefore also created an opportunity for children preparing to enter the preparatory grade to discover and practise their skills before the beginning of the new school year.

One example highlighted by the coordinator was that of a child with special educational needs who is about to enter the preparatory grade. At first, the child needed support to complete the tasks, but after a few exercises, was able to work independently.

„One child with special educational needs who is about to start the preparatory grade managed to complete the tasks – dividing words into syllables, counting the syllables and colouring according to the number of syllables. At first, the child worked with my help, then with their mother’s help, and after four words was able to do it independently. The child was very happy, and the mother was proud.”

Beyond the exercise itself, moments like these show how important the experience of success can be for a child at the beginning of their learning journey: a task that initially requires support can, after several attempts, become something they are able to accomplish independently

“Will we write more stories?”

The children’s enthusiasm was also reflected in their comments. At the end of the activities, one of them asked:

“Will we write more stories? I like school activities – this way, I won’t get bored.”

For Maria Fazakas, the motivation to organise the Summer School came precisely from the opportunity to give children a place where they could spend time together, play and learn:

“During the summer, we are at school for a few days anyway. When we organise a summer school, we make good use of that time, we meet with parents, and the children have the opportunity to learn and play together. These were the things that motivated me to organise the summer school.”

A “sweet, colourful” memory

The programme was also made possible thanks to the support received from local institutions and parents within the community.

The five days in Ip showed how reading can become the starting point for a wide variety of experiences: from games with sounds and syllables to discovering beekeeping, and from writing stories to preparing gingerbread.

The children read, wrote, created, tasted, explored and played together, while for a few days of their summer holiday the school became a place of curiosity and discovery.

Perhaps the most fitting conclusion comes from the Summer School coordinator herself:

“This year’s Summer School will remain in my heart and mind as a sweet, colourful memory.” Maria Fazakas, primary school teacher and Summer School coordinator.

The summer school was organised with the financial support of Rothoblaas.