Children’s hospital opens patient-designed insect discovery area

The Children’s Clinical University Hospital, a paediatric hospital, opened an insect discovery area in its park on Wednesday, LSM reported. The Insect Area features educational stations about garden and forest wildlife and was created with ideas from the hospital’s patients.

The area is located in a renovated apple orchard near the entrances on Vienības gatve and Olīvu iela. Visitors can explore interactive elements, search for answers and learn more about nature.

Amanda was the first visitor. She showed Latvian Television the activities and the insect house, whose hosts are named Sienāzis and Mārīte.

“It is fantastic. Wonderful work has been put into this, especially for those who stay here for a long time. They can come and study the insects and gain new knowledge,” Amanda’s mother, Kristīne, said.

Patients were invited to share their ideas about making the hospital’s outdoor spaces more suitable and interesting for children. Their suggestions helped form the basis for the new discovery area, including sketches and design options submitted by children, said Indra Veismane, head of the hospital’s Education Department.

The area includes fruit trees and berry bushes native to Latvia, including cherry and plum trees and blueberries. Children are encouraged to examine the flowers and leaves and taste the fruit.

An insect house has also been installed in the apple orchard to support biodiversity and sustainability.

The park section was renovated as part of the international SchoolChanger project, which aims to help develop nature-based solutions that are friendly to children and young people in the Baltic Sea region.