By Yeremia Dika Mahendra from Indonesia

I’m really enjoying my time working in OGS-Kreuz Grundschule, not only because of the children but also because of the super team we have.  All friends at work always help and support each other’s activities.  They also often help me and give direction on how to deal with the children here.  Then during the summer holidays of 2019, we started a project called „Vulkanraum“ (volcanic room). We will decorate a room as a children’s playroom, with the theme of the volcano, there we will build a volcano that can be a children’s playroom (the concept is like a cave inside a volcano).  In the team working on the project, there were 4 members, namely Jonas, Agathe, Pedro and me.
The first step we took was to discuss what materials would be used to build the volcano, and Agathe suggested that we use used cardboard.  After that we started collecting used cardboard before the summer holidays.  When summer holidays arrives, we have one week to do the project, because at the start of the summer holidays, during the first week the OGS remains open.  On the first day of the summer holidays we began by sketching out concepts from the volcano, about what they will look like.  After getting the appropriate concept, we began to build the foundation of the volcano, one by one we stacking and glue the cardboard, assisted with several children.
The volcano that we built is getting taller, now it’s my turn to build and try an appropriate structure so that the volcano can stand firmly.  By using 3 columns which are also made of cardboard in the middle of the volcano, the volcano now can stand firm and become taller.  Pedro helped work on the top of the volcano, because it was quite difficult to glue on that part and Pedro was the tallest among us.  After finishing with the cardboard, the next step we did was to cover it with used newspaper and glue. Newspapers and glue will make the surface texture of the volcano become more real.
Unfortunately, one week during summer vacation is not enough to complete the „Vulkanraum“ project.  We postponed the process and continued on spring holidays.  In the spring holidays we continue to give color to the volcano.  This is the most pleasant job, because when it gives color, the volcano will look more real.  After finishing painting all parts of the volcano, we proceed to paint the inside of the volcano wall, as well as the outer wall.  Jonas started drawing inside, Jonas was very good at painting.  After finishing the inside we began drawing the outside, with the help of the children we began to draw mountains on the outside wall.  Jonas also drew blue dragons, Agathe drew trees and I drew volcano monsters.  After all the pictures are finished, we put a carpet on the inside of the volcano and finally this project is finished.  The children look very happy and want to play in this new room, but the children must take turns to enter the room to keep the building of the volcano inside and not be damaged.
That’s the story of the „Vulkanraum“ project that we made in OGS-Kreuz Grundschule.  Hopefully it can inspire to do a creative work with the children.