The Kiezi backpack was unveiled on Saturday, August 8, during the Superblock Initiative’s action day in the Rheingauviertel by Dr. Patricia Becher, Head of Social Affairs. 

At the heart of the Kiezi backpack is the Kiezi Workbook—an interactive activity book that sends children on a discovery tour as neighborhood detectives. They explore their neighborhood, discover favorite spots and places with room for improvement, record their impressions, and develop ideas for a child-friendly future. The workbook covers various topics: A photo scavenger hunt leads to special places in the neighborhood, while the “School Route Check” and “Playground Check” allow children to observe and evaluate their surroundings from their own perspective. The Trash Challenge, the chapters “Green Neighborhood” and “Climate Heroes,” as well as other creative activities, encourage children to engage with topics such as the environment, mobility, and climate protection. A letter template for the local council also allows children to directly voice their own concerns. The backpack also contains materials that are useful for the discovery tour: In addition to games and writing supplies, it includes an instant camera for photographing and documenting special places on the spot, as well as a trash grabber. 

The Kiezi backpack is part of the World Design Capital project “Auf die Plätze los” and demonstrates how children’s perspectives can be taken into account in the design of public spaces. A milestone for children’s participation in Wiesbaden this year is the launch of the Children’s Parliament in Mainz-Kastel. There, children have the opportunity to discuss their concerns and ideas about their neighborhood and bring them directly into the political deliberations of the local council. In this way, they learn early on how democratic participation works and experience that their opinions matter. The goal is to make this form of participation possible in other neighborhoods in the future as well. 

“Children know very well what works well in their neighborhood and where changes are needed. They experience every day which places are important to them and what they feel is missing. This perspective is indispensable for child-friendly urban development. With the ‘Kiezi Backpack,’ we’re creating low-threshold access to participation. With the Children’s Parliament in Mainz-Kastel, we’ve taken an important step this year: there, children experience firsthand that their ideas are heard and that they can help shape their city. “My goal is for children in all neighborhoods to have this experience and to see participation as an integral part of their daily lives,” emphasizes Dr. Patricia Becher. 

Heike Richter, acting director of the Office for Social Work, also emphasizes: “With the Children’s Parliament in Kastel and the ‘Kiezi-Rucksack,’ the School Social Work Department has launched two sustainable projects for children that will continue beyond 2026. They create solid structures to permanently strengthen children’s participation and anchor it in the neighborhoods.” 

Schools, neighborhood councils, and other organizations are cordially invited to initiate a Children’s Parliament in their own neighborhood as well. The Department of School Social Work for Children provides advice and support for implementation. Contact: kinderparlamentwiesbadende. 

The Kiezi Backpack can be used by organizations involved in school social work for children, open child and youth services, as well as other organizations and groups for neighborhood explorations. The target audience is elementary school-aged children starting in third grade. Requests to borrow the backpack can be sent via email to schulsozialarbeit-kinderwiesbadende. In the future, the workbook will not only be available as a printed activity booklet. An interactive digital version will also be offered, which can be used on smartphones or tablets, allowing children to complete the tasks digitally right away during their neighborhood exploration. This will be available shortly on the “Schulsozialarbeit Kinder” website: www.wiesbaden.de/leben-wohnen/gesellschaft-soziales/soziale-dienste/Schulsozialarbeit-Kinder (opens in a new tab).