On May 30, 2026, at 10:30 AM, the “Dobri Chintulov 1935” Community Center hosted the official launch of the new educational and environmental project, “Green Senses: Exploring Plants Through Experience, Play, and Creativity,” organized by the Rotary Club Sofia-Balkan.

This project marks the beginning of an initiative led by Club President Ivaylo Vasilev, aimed at preventing and reducing screen dependency in children through active outdoor engagement, hands-on experiences, and creative activities.

Over several consecutive weekends, children will have the opportunity to explore nature in an interactive and inspiring way—through observation, play, creativity, and practical tasks. The project is being implemented during the spring and summer, a period when plants are in their active growth cycle, offering the richest opportunities for learning and sensory experience.

The initiative involves children from partner educational institutions: Kindergarten No. 7 “Detelina” and Kindergarten No. 175 “Slanchevi Lachi,” with whom the club has built an active collaboration this year. Partners in the project include the Forest Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and the Rotary Club Pirot. The project is led by Assoc. Prof. Plamen Glogov, PhD (Forest Research Institute at BAS), with Eng. Ivaylo Vasilev, President of RC Sofia-Balkan, serving as coordinator.

Learning Through Experience

“Green Senses” is designed as a hands-on, experiential project aiming to foster curiosity about nature, sustainable outdoor habits, and an interest in the natural sciences. The program consists of six core educational modules:

  • Plant Identification: Participants will learn to identify common plant species found in Bulgaria and Serbia by their leaves, flowers, fruits, and other morphological features through field trips and outdoor education.

  • Collection and Preservation: Children will collect plant specimens and learn the proper techniques for pressing and storing them to create their own herbaria.

  • Educational Games and Nature Missions: The project includes ecological games, quizzes, competitions, and team-based missions to identify plant species.

  • Beneficial Properties of Plants: Through practical demonstrations, participants will learn about the medicinal properties of various plants and participate in workshops to prepare teas, herbal blends, tinctures, and natural ointments.

  • Forest Foods: Children will learn about edible wild plants and participate in practical sessions on preparing food from forest resources.

  • Planting and Care: The final stage of the project includes planting bulbs and saplings of native tree species, alongside training on how to care for them.

Expected Results

The project’s main goal is for children to build a stronger connection with nature and replace screen time with active outdoor engagement. Expected outcomes include:

  • Increased knowledge of plants and ecological processes;

  • Practical skills for identifying over 80 plant species;

  • Creation of a collaborative exhibition featuring the children’s herbaria;

  • A minimum of 40 hours of practical outdoor activity for each participant;

  • Increased interest in biology, ecology, and the natural sciences;

  • A measurable reduction in screen time.

The project emphasizes not only knowledge acquisition but also the development of an emotional bond with nature through touch, observation, creativity, and personal experience.

Sustainability and Long-Term Vision

“Green Senses” is intended as a long-term model for experiential learning. Following the completion of the first phase, organizers plan to conduct annual field training and ecological activities, involving new groups of children and expanding the partner network.

The project aims to foster lasting habits for active learning and outdoor observation. A key element of its sustainability is the “children-teaching-children” model, through which participants will pass on their knowledge to peers via demonstrations, storytelling, and joint activities in school and extracurricular environments.

The established partnership between the Rotary Club Sofia-Balkan, the Forest Research Institute at BAS, the Rotary Club Pirot, and the participating educational institutions will continue through future joint projects, student exchanges, and practical environmental education initiatives. In this way, “Green Senses” transcends the framework of a standard educational project, becoming a sustainable platform for shaping ecological awareness, an active lifestyle, and a love for nature in children.