School Break City Camp – One Day, One Place, Lots of Fun!

March 26, 2026

We put together a varied program for every school break, but City Camp Day is the most special day of the entire break. On this day, young people from Tartu gather at a single youth center. While all five centers are usually open, during City Camp, activities take place in just one location. This gives young people the chance to visit a place they might not otherwise get to on a daily basis. This is how new friendships are formed, fresh experiences are gained, and participants take part in exciting workshops.

During the February winter break, a city camp was held at the Ilmatsalu Community Center. The day got off to an exciting start—two cadets from the Estonian National Defense College came to meet the young people. They talked about their daily activities and showed the young people their weapons. The young people got to try on military gear and ask the questions that interested them most.

The Nature House workshop took us on a journey into the world of Estonia’s forests. We talked about the animals that live in local forests and put our knowledge to the test—how well do we recognize animal and bird tracks? Can we tell which animal droppings belong to which animal? We got to see and feel how soft the fur of a fox, a beaver, and other animals is, and learn the difference between Estonian and American minks.

This was followed by a short orienteering game, in which the young people worked in teams to complete various tasks. Together, they “caught fish,” solved a secret code and a memory game, made a rope swing, and answered a picture quiz. Teamwork and ingenuity were the keys to success!

After all the exciting activities, it was time to refuel. Together, we prepared a picnic meal—rice with canned chicken. It tasted great and practically disappeared from the plates.

The day continued with a discussion on how to properly feed birds in winter and what to keep in mind when doing so. We immediately put what we had learned into practice—we made fat balls, which the young people were able to take home with them.

Tired but satisfied, we wrapped up the day with a group feedback session. The camp may be over for now, but there are still plenty of exciting events ahead!

Written by Valentina Nikolaeva, a youth worker at the Anne Youth Center

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