What does great learning look like beyond the classroom? At the International German School Hefei, it looks like curious children, blooming spring landscapes, and meaningful hands-on experiences.

Our students from Grades 1 to 6 recently spent a wonderful day at the Botanical Garden, where nature became a living classroom. Surrounded by tulips, cherry blossoms, plum trees, magnolias, and many other plants in full bloom, the children explored nature through hands-on learning in an inspiring outdoor setting.

To make the visit even more engaging, the students took part in a carefully prepared scavenger hunt with questions about plants and animals, tasks, and small challenges that encouraged them to interact with their surroundings in a playful and purposeful way.

At the same time, students in Grades 5 and 6 deepened their science learning by analyzing selected plants, comparing their blossom structure, leaf characteristics, and classifying them into plant families. This brought their classroom learning to life in a real-world setting.

Students also discovered special landmarks throughout the garden, including a historic well, a Dutch windmill, and the fascinating Chinese stone sound garden. Those visits sparked many questions and meaningful conversations about intercultural topics in German, English and Chinese—an important part of everyday life at IGS Hefei.

The Botanical Garden trip was a perfect example of what makes learning at IGS Hefei special: strong academic foundations, international mindedness, and memorable experiences that inspire children to grow.

At IGS Hefei, we do not just teach children about the world — we take them out into it.