Active Sister Schools - Second edition
2024-2025
Following the remarkable success of the pilot initiative, the second edition of Active Sister Schools has been enhanced and expanded to four countries, including schools from Spain.
Building bridges through movement and friendship
Connecting children around the world through Physically Active Learning and shared experiences.
Active Sister Schools is an innovative and international project that aims to create unity and integration across school classes from different countries. Through movement and engaging classroom activities, students discover each other’s lives, cultures, traditions, and surroundings in a fun and interactive way.
This project creates a vibrant platform where children from diverse backgrounds can connect, learn, and build lasting friendships.
Why Active Sister Schools?
Creating a safe space for Ukrainian children
The project was born out of a desire to support Ukrainian schoolchildren. By connecting them with peers around the world, the project offers a sense of joy and belonging - even for those studying in shelters or far from home because their schools no longer exist. It provides a much-needed escape from worry, replacing isolation with friendship and shared experiences.
The power of physical activity and connection
We believe that moving together and sharing experiences brings children together. By connecting young people across borders, we create opportunities for friendship, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding.
Inspired by pen-pals
The project draws inspiration from the traditional pen-pal system, which has long helped children build connections and gain insight into the daily lives of their peers abroad. However, Active Sister Schools takes this concept a step further by fostering community, integration, and mutual understanding through movement, play, and joyful cooperation rather than solely written communication.
How does it work?
International teams take on monthly challenges
Classes from different countries that join the project during recruitment are grouped into 15 international teams. Each team consists of one class from every participating country. The journey begins with a special online event - the Drawing Ceremony - where all students and teachers meet virtually for the first time. From there, newly formed teams collaborate on various tasks, take part in monthly challenges, and meet online within their groups. They earn points for completing activities while discovering each other’s customs, languages, and daily lives.
Who is the project for?
The project is designed for primary school students in the second and third grades, typically aged 8-9.
Timeline and activities
The project runs from October 2024 to October 2025, but students participate in challenges until June 2025.
A total of 15 teams take part, each consisting of classes from Ukraine, Spain, Denmark, and Poland.
Through eight monthly classroom-based challenges involving movement and fun activities, students learn about each other’s lives, cultures, and languages. The project is also accompanied by additional events, including online meetings such as international webinars, drawing activities, and closing ceremonies.
1. Online Drawing Ceremony
(October 1, 2024)
Teachers and students from each participating country will gather virtually to form international teams through an engaging drawing ceremony. This session, held in simple English, lets students experience the scope of their community and meet their new teammates.
2. Monthly thematic challenges
(October 2024 - May 2025)
The challenges in the Active Sister Schools are designed to connect students from different countries through fun, interactive activities. Each month, international teams are given a theme and participate in creative, movement-based tasks that explore aspects of culture, language, and everyday life. These activities, which range from classroom games and interactive videos to cultural quizzes and physical challenges, encourage teamwork and cross-cultural learning. Each team documents their experiences in a shared Team Diary, which serves as both a record of their journey and a friendly competition, with points awarded for completed tasks.
Every month, teachers receive:
- Two videos for classroom based activities.
- Five simple activities (game scenarios) for completing in or outside the classroom.
- Interaction activities with the team (messages or online meetings)
- Suggestions for homework, the children can do with their parents.
Monthly themes include
October
Common
expressions
An icebreaker challenge to help teams get to know one another.
November
Cultural
Share and learn about each other’s traditions.
December
Food
A culinary journey to explore favorite dishes from each country.
January
Animals
Introduce and learn about local animals and their significance.
February
Clothhes
Discover unique outfits and discuss their cultural importance.
March
Traditions
Celebrate local customs and holiday traditions.
April
Spare time
activities
Share popular hobbies and after-school pastimes.
May
School
interiors
Compare and share what school life looks like in each country.
Below you can find the videos that the classes use to implement the challenges in the second edition of Active Sister Schools project (2024-2025).
3. Team Diaries and scoring system
4. International webinars
Teachers will have access to exclusive webinars led by international experts, focusing on topics such as physical activity, student leadership, and cultural exchange. These sessions will inspire teachers to enrich their classroom activities and provide a forum for sharing experiences across countries.
5. Closing events and awards
Online Closing Ceremony (June 13, 2025)
The final online event will gather all participants to celebrate their journey, recognize top-performing teams, and enjoy a series of fun, interactive activities.
Awards and recognition
The three top teams will receive special awards, while all participants receive certificates. The winning teachers will be invited to attend the prestigious MOVE Congress in Copenhagen in October 2025, where they can connect with global educators.
Impact and expected outcomes
With the expansion of Active Sister Schools to include Spain, the project will impact an even larger and more diverse group of students. By the end of the project, we aim to:
Promote Physically Active Learning (PAL)
Engaging in Physically Active Learning activities enhances focus, motor skills, and memory retention in children. Through PAL, students experience the benefits of learning through movement, which supports both their academic growth and physical well-being, creating a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.
Cultivate international friendships
Students will have a deeper understanding of their peers’ cultures, promoting empathy and global citizenship.
Enhance student confidence and communication skills
Regular interactions and challenges will improve students’ English language skills and boost their ability to collaborate across cultures.
Strengthen teacher networks
Educators from participating countries will establish lasting professional connections, fostering a network of support and shared innovation.
This edition of Active Sister Schools creates unforgettable memories and lasting impacts on all involved, paving the way for a future where children and teachers are more connected, empowered, and inspired, with students benefitting from enhanced integration and well-being through Physically Active Learning.
Project partners
The project is a collaboration between the following organizations: V4Sport Foundation (Poland), Danish School Sports (Denmark), International Sport and Culture Association (Denmark), UkraineActive (Ukraine), and Deporte para la Educación y la Salud (Spain).
The honorary patronage has been granted by UNICEF Poland.
The project is funded by the European Union.
„Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.”
If you would like more information about project in 2024/2025 school year, please contact the partner organization in your country via the email addresses below:
- Denmark – tjr@skoleidraet.dk
- Poland – ass@v4sport.eu
- Spain – prv@colegiosconeldeporte.com
- Ukraine – ndbuvoeckaa@gmail.com