Child refugee crisis: Why we set up a play area in a shutdown German airport

By Sarah Tyler, Head of International Programs, Save the Children International

Germany’s Tempelhof airport has a history of helping those in need.

After World War II it was at the centre of the Berlin Airlift – a scheme that delivered food, coal and other basic necessities to 2.5 million people blockaded by the Soviets in West Berlin.

At the same time, Operation Little Vittles provided sweets for children living near the airport.

And now, once again, Tempelhof is helping families in desperate need.

Since the end of October, thousands of refugees who have travelled across Europe have been using the now closed airport as a temporary place to shelter.

Around 2,000 people are currently living in the airport – 40% of them children.

To support the children living in the airport we’ve recently set up a child-friendly space – an area where they can play safely and receive emotional support.

We’ve set up blackboards in English, German and Arabic to welcome children to the play area, which is staffed by language and art teachers, mental health professionals and child rights practitioners, among others.

The staff come from all over the world – Germany, the Netherlands, Syria and America.

“The opening of this space was an ‘Oh my goodness’ moment for the children,” says Vicky, the child-friendly space manager for Save the Children Germany.

“The children helped us make the drawings for the opening so they knew this was their space.”

The area, which is supported by IKEA, gives children an area where they can play, ask questions and have a sense of daily routine.

“Children here are individuals once again, they aren’t just a mass of refugees,” says Britt, HQ-coordinator for the space.

Many of the children are taking German language classes, to help them to develop language skills before they start school in Germany.

“I was watching a little boy of about five carrying a lot of books,” says Britt.

“I asked him, ‘What are you going to do with all these books?’ He grabbed one, pointed at the book, pointed at me, pointed at himself, then he pointed at the sitting area. He wanted me to read with him.

“We sat down together and we went through the whole book. At the end, he said ‘finish’. We started out without speaking at all but he made himself very clear.”

Children have told our staff that they want to go back to school.

Mada*, a five-year-old girl from Afghanistan, went to school in Germany for one day. She told staff that she loved it. Since then, she says, she has been praying every day that their application for asylum will be accepted, because then she can go to school.

She says that in her prayers she asks every night: “When can I go to school?”

No child should miss out on an education, but so many refugees like Mada are. Each has a story to tell – of troubled pasts and uncertain futures. But at least child-friendly spaces like the one in Tempelhof offer them precious moments when they can learn, play, and enjoy being children again.

Find out more about what we’re doing to help child refugees and their families.