FHP children design their own (non-fiction) books

Together with the picture lab of the department of Design and under the creative direction of children's book author Christina Röckl and the FAMteam, the children immersed themselves in the world of storytelling, drawing and design from 28/07/2025 to 01/08/2025. The FAMteam not only organised the workshop, but also played a central role in the supervision and educational design. Supported by dedicated design students, the children developed their own book ideas, wrote texts, designed illustrations and learnt how to bind a book by hand.

Right at the beginning, balloon games and creative familiarisation tasks created a cheerful atmosphere. With a small research booklet in their luggage, they then went on a discovery tour to the Potsdam Natural History Museum. There, the children not only gathered knowledge and inspiration about animals such as foxes, owls, sea eagles and wolves - depending on their interests, they also used their impressions as the basis for their own stories or as research material for a non-fiction book about the local animal world.

Back in the workshop, the creative work continued: in addition to working on their own book projects, there were also play activities in the room - an imaginative city was created with wooden building blocks, which the children affectionately called "Gussmar". We also went on a trip to the BUGA park, where there was plenty of space for movement, play and new ideas.

The highlight came at the end of the week: the resulting works were presented in a small exhibition in the library. Families, friends and interested parties were able to marvel at the lovingly designed books, listen to the children talk about their experiences in the workshop - and even get active themselves: The children had prepared a hands-on station on the subject of bookbinding and proudly explained to visitors how their own book is made.

The FAMteam's holiday workshops are part of the measures to promote gender equality as part of the Female Professors Programme III at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam.