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Short Abstract

We will introduce the vast variety of citizen science activities related to indoor air quality and health, conducted with more than 2000 children in Europe. We will share learnings from assessing the impact of these activities and introduce a genuine Science Kit to engage children in learning about

Abstract

The InChildHealth project, a Horizon Europe initiative focused on children’s health and indoor environments, has been implemented in primary schools in seven cities across Europe with a strong citizen science component. The project actively involves children, teachers, and families in exploring indoor air quality and its impacts on health and well-being. With this aim a wide variety of citizen science activities were developed and implemented with more than 2000 children across Europe. First, we will show practical examples of these activities, the created material and hands-on citizen science activities, and introduce the evaluation of benefits from the involvement for pupils. We will share insights on the practical handling of questionnaires in classrooms, and how to create a setting where children don’t feel they are “being tested” but still take the task of filling in the questionnaires seriously.

Second, one of the most impactful outcomes of these activities has been the creation of a dedicated Science Kit, developed in collaboration with educational partners and created in collaboration with educational partners and distributed to all 18,000 primary school children in the municipality of Loures, (Portugal). The kit is designed to spark children’s curiosity about science through playful, interactive experiments while raising awareness of indoor air quality. We will share good practices from the development and distribution of the kit, its reception among children and families, and the potential for wider dissemination across other countries participating in the InChildHealth project.