Worldschooling Bansko 2023
Activity program
Example schedule
Example schedule
Activity program
Worldschooling Bansko offers an extensive activity schedule, from 10.00 am until 10 pm, 5 days a week. We offer a wide range of different activities, to make sure everybody in our community can enjoy themselves. Everybody is free to enjoy as many or as little of the activities as they like. All the activities are optional, except the group meeting and connecting activities, which we would like all participants to attend. We do ask participants to sign up for the activities in advance on a weekly base and there might be activities that have an attendance limit. On a weekly base we create a schedule for the upcoming week, considering the needs of the community as well as the weather conditions.
Activities for different groups
Worldschooling Bansko offers different activities for different age groups. On the schedule the activities for certain age groups are marked in different colours.
Family activities:
The light blue colour shows the family activities. The activities are welcoming participants of all ages. There will be a facilitator present at all the activities. Some of the family activities allow kids to join without parents, but some require a parent to join their kids. Please take a look at the activity descriptions below to find the requirements of the specific activity.
Kids Club 0-7:
The pink colour shows activities for kids 0-7. For this age group we offer a Kids Club. Please check the Kids Club page for more information about the Kids Club activities.
Kids program 6-12:
The yellow colour shows activities for our kids program, aged 6-12. For this age group we offer fun, engaging, educational activities that are also aimed for the kids to create friendships during the activities. There will be one or more facilitators present during all the activities. Please read the activity descriptions below.
Teen activities:
The green colour shows the teen activities. This is just an example of what the teen schedule might look like, as the teens will create their own weekly schedule amongst themselves, with help from one of our facilitators. We will make activity suggestions for the teens to choose from, examples are given in the activities descriptions below. The teens are also welcome to participate in all the kids activities.
Parent activities:
The purple colour shows the parent activities. These activities are open to parents, grandparents, aunts, adult children, basically to all adults in our group. Please note that kids 0-18 are not allowed. The activities are mainly aimed to create deep connections between the Worldschooling parents. Please read the activity descriptions below.
Activities at extra charge
The schedule offers certain activities that are arranged by outside partners. These activities come at an extra cost. The activities are always optional and we will inform you about the extra charges in advance. In the example schedule the partner activities are marked with an *. Please read the activity descriptions for more information about the extra charges.
Participant lead activities.
The community will have a wide range of talents uniting. Many people want to share their knowledge or skills and others would like to learn from them. We highly encourage all participants, parents or children, to share their knowledge or skills in a class, workshop, presentation, etc. Participants are also welcome to organise a social gathering for members of the community. We offer the community space in the weekends for these initiatives, after consulting with us. We do ask an adult or (responsible) teen to be present at all times during participant lead activities in the community space.
Kids Program 6-12:
In the weekly check-in the children will determine a personal goal that they want to reach that week. This can be anything: Improvement in skiing, making new friends, learning more about a certain subject. Whatever the kids feel like achieving in the upcoming week. The week after the kids will share how they did, did they reach their goal? What can help them in reaching their goal?
We will work with projects in which every week we work on a specific topic. In the projects we try to combine academic, artistic, hands on and physical activities, so all kids find activities they like. Most projects are connected with Bulgaria in a certain way. The projects are self directed. There will be a facilitator present to help the children. The kids get to present their findings in a weekly presentation.
Connections is what Worldschooling Bansko is all about and the connecting activities help us deepen these connections faster. We designed some activities that bond participants at a deeper level. Depending on the activity, we will do this with the whole group, or in smaller groups. We would like all the participants to attend this activity as it forms the basis of what is most important in Worldschooling Bansko.
Every week all participants will come together and discuss how things are going with the program and in the community. We use a pre-set format for this. Depending on the size of the group we will discuss with the whole group, in age groups, or in smaller groups.
In the weekly Dungeons and Dragons game, the children will dive into a fantasy world filled with adventure. The game lets the kids express all their creativity, as they take on the roles of characters in a world with magic, goblins, elves, dragons, and everything they can think of. Dungeons & Dragons is a definite favourite of Worldschooling Bansko, with all the kids excitedly going home to tell their parents about the adventures they had.
We will do forest walks, make a bonfire, sleigh from snow mountains and once a month we will even sleigh the 7 km ski road down with the whole family. The outdoor activities are adventurous and challenging, but so much fun every week!
Transport costs may apply for certain activities, approx € 3.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
Chess club, tween boys club, Rubik’s cube club, or whatever the kids come up with!
During club time the kids can find peers with similar interests, or similar age groups who like to spend time together while pursuing their hobbies. The clubs are self-organised by the kids, with a little help from the team. There is a facilitator present.
During the discovery hour, the kids will find themselves as scientist in a science museums, as farmers ready to run a farm, as chefs in a kids restaurant, or as spies ready to solve a mystery, etc. There is so much to discover.
During board game night we will have a fun night playing board games. The kids will group up, team up or play in pairs, and play their favourite board games. We have a selection of board games and everybody is welcome to bring their own.
The gamers are welcome to bring their devices and play their favourite games. They can connect with each other, play together, or play side by side. After the activity, the gamers put away their devices for the next activity.
The artists bring their talent and creativity to make some beautiful drawings together with their friends, or beside them.
The outside game is an engaging, active, and fun game for everybody. We select games that are fun and challenging for all ages, and the teens are very much invited to join. The outside game is lead by a facilitator.
During movie nights we will show movies that are fun for all ages. The kids will get hot chocolate and popcorn to enjoy during the movie.
Teen Program:
During the teen check-in the teens decide for themselves and as a group how they want to spend their week. We will give them suggestions, and they are free to come up with any ideas themselves. They will then turn their plans into a week schedule. The teens are assisted by a facilitator.
Connections is what Worldschooling Bansko is all about and the connecting activities help us deepen these connections faster. We designed some activities that bond participants at a deeper level. Depending on the activity, we will do this with the whole group, or in smaller groups. We would like all the participants to attend this activity as it forms the basis of what is most important in Worldschooling Bansko.
Every week all participants will come together and discuss how things are going with the program and in the community. We use a pre-set format for this. Depending on the size of the group we will discuss with the whole group, in age groups, or in smaller groups.
The teens can decide to work on a project together. We will give suggestions, and the teens decide on the project. We will guide the teens to systematically work on reaching their goals and learn a lot about project management on their way.
In the weekly Dungeons and Dragons game, the teens will dive into a fantasy world filled with adventure. The game lets the teens express all their creativity, as they take on the roles of characters in a world with magic, goblins, elves, dragons, and everything they can think of. Dungeons & Dragons is a definite favourite of Worldschooling Bansko, with all the teens excitedly going home to tell their parents about the adventures they had.
The teens tend to organise themselves later in the day and therefore appreciate a later starting time for their skiing with friends. The teens will ski and snowboard down as a group or meet up at meeting points and take the lifts back up together, or maybe even stop for a hot chocolate on their way.
Participants are expected to buy their own ski pass.
Transport costs may apply, approx € 3.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
During the teens lunch the teens will head into town by themselves and find a location to have lunch together. Sometimes a restaurant, sometimes street food, or sometimes they will buy something in the supermarket and eat it in the park, whatever they come up with. This activity is completely self regulated and the high level of independence tends to give the teens a boost. The teens will be bring their phones so they can be reached but with Bansko being such a safe town, there is not much to worry about.
The expenses will be approx €5-€10
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
The teens can choose to schedule a group class in their weekly schedule. Last year the philosophy / debate class was very popular. The teens are welcome to make suggestions for other classes they come up with.
During the teens night the teens can watch a movie, play board games, game together, or just hang out in the teen space. In their weekly schedule the teens will decide on when and how they want to spend teens nights, but as the other age groups are occupied on Thursday, this is a good moment for the teens to hang out together as well.
One of the ways the Teens can decide to spend their time is with a sleepover in the Teen space. The teens tend to go to sleep late, serve themselves brunch and their sleepover usually doesn’t end until late in the Saturday afternoon.
Parent Activities:
Connections is what Worldschooling Bansko is all about and the connecting activities help us deepen these connections faster. We designed some activities that bond participants at a deeper level. Depending on the activity, we will do this with the whole group, or in smaller groups. We would like all the participants to attend this activity as it forms the basis of what is most important in Worldschooling Bansko.
Every week all participants will come together and discuss how things are going with the program and in the community. We use a pre-set format for this. Depending on the size of the group we will discuss with the whole group, in age groups, or in smaller groups.
Parents can take a break from their work or their other endeavors and enjoy some nice social time with the other parents. The parents tea time is an activity on request of the 2022 parents who had the desire to meet in the afternoon for some casual social time.
Mom’s night, dad’s night, parents diner, karaoke singing, pool competition, casino visit. Depending on the energy and the interests in the group we will find a nice activity that we can all enjoy.
The expenses are personal and depend on the specific activity.
With everybody together for the weekly presentations, we use the opportunity to create an enjoyable night together. We will serve hot wine. Feel free to bring other drinks and snacks.
For the parents, there is a coworking / social space on site. Here, the wifi has a speed of 96 mbps (one internet provider). There are 2 private rooms available for calls or quiet working time. All the parents of Worldschooling Bansko are allowed to use this space for working and social gatherings between 10 AM and 10 PM, 7 days a week. If you want to use the space after these hours, please consult with us. Other residents of the complex are also able to use the space. Depending on the occupancy, we might set a limit and introduce a sign up system. Please keep in mind that this space is for adults exclusively, kids 0-17 are not allowed.
Family Activities:
The ski mountain will be open during our entire stay. Snow on the slopes is guaranteed as the resort uses snow machines to add to the natural snow when needed. The center of the ski resort is located at the gondola upper station. This is where the classes take place and where you can take the lifts up to the bleu, red and black slopes. There are also several restaurants located at the gondola upper station. To reach the gondola upper station, you can take the gondola up from the gondola down station. The gondola down station is located 1,5 km from the complex and transport will be available from the complex to the gondola down station and back at additional cost. You can also reach the gondola upper station by car, however the road will be closed on busy days.
For the gondola and the lifts there are several passes available. Usually the resort offers day passes and passes for a series of days, up to 14 days. Keep in mind that these days need to be consecutive. There is also a 20 day pass available, where the days do not need to be consecutive. Also there are season passes available. The season pass comes with the great advantage of fast lane acces. 20 day passes are also sometimes allowed to use the fast lane, depending on the week and the operators mood. Acces to the fast lane is highly recommended as the lines to the gondola can be very long. There are options to get day passes with fast lane access at an additional cost at certain hotels.
The prices of the ski passes will be released shortly before the season starts. To get an impression, you will find last years prices here: https://www.banskoski.com/en/page/ceni
Ski or snowboard equipment can be rented or bought. The price of renting equipment for a month will come down to approx the same price as buying second hand gear, but comes with the advantage of ski storage close to the gondola. We work with partners who can offer our participants rental equipment and second hand equipment for a reduced fee. The exact offers will be presented to the participants shortly before the season. Last year the prices for skis were approx 75-100 euro. For snowboards approx 110-135 euro.
Ski storage near the gondola is also an option at reduced price by one of our partners.
We will also be able to offer ski/snowboard classes at a reduced rate, provided by our partners. There will be group classes or private classes. The group classes will not be regularly available, we will have to create groups within our community from the same age group and level. Early bookings is a must for all ski classes, since this is often fully booked during the season.
Ski clothes we advise you not to buy in Bansko as the prices will be much higher. Look for ski clothes for example in Sofia at Decathlon.
Several days a week we will be skiing with friends. This family activity is open for skiers and snowboarders with at least an independent blue ski/snowboard level. We will ski together as a group, waiting for each other at certain meeting points, taking brakes together, selecting the next slopes and go up in the lifts together. This activity is highly bonding between the participants.
Kids are expected to be accompanied by a parent. Older kids are allowed to join without a parent if the parents decide that their kids are at a maturity and ski level to ski without any guidance. All participants are requested to carry a phone with them.
Participants are expected to buy their own ski pass.
Transport costs may apply, approx € 3.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
The meeting point will be at the upper gondola station.
Every week we will discover a new restaurant in Bansko. We will combine the different cuisines in Bansko, from traditional Bulgarian to Italian, and even a Mexican restaurant, but many serve a combination of dishes. The restaurant visits are in general a very pleasant social setting.
Kids are expected to be accompanied by their parents.
The cost are personal, but count on approx €10- €15 per person.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
Bansko Street Dogs is an organisation that has been taking care of the street dogs in Bansko for a number of years now. They take puppies off the street, care for them and give them up for adoption. Once a week we go play with the puppies and the already adult dogs who have not been adopted yet. We play with the dogs, take some for a walk, and we can help with cleaning.
The dogs are all friendly, but they are still animals, and therefore we would like the parents to join the kids to this activity. Bansko Street Dogs is happy to have us, as we help the dogs socialise.
Transport costs may apply, approx € 3.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
Every week we will schedule an active or adventurous activity for the whole family to join.
We will go ice skating, horse back riding, archery, rock climbing in the mountains, wall climbing, to a rope course with zip lines, and to escape rooms.
Kids are allowed to join without a parent if the parents decide that their kids are at a maturity level to do the activity without any guidance, and if they listen well to instructions.
The active activity is usually a paid activity organised by a third party. The cost for the activity will be around €10, depending on the activity.
Transport costs may apply, approx € 7.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
Every week we will visit one of the hot springs nearby. Occasionally we will take a longer drive to visit a hot spring in a more natural setting. Hot springs are outside mineral pools at different warm water temperatures. There are plenty of them in the area of Bansko, all in a different setting. The hot springs have dressing rooms, showers, and toilets available. Most have a restaurant as well.
Kids are expected to be accompanied by a parent.
Entrance is aprox €7,50 for parents, €5 for children.
Transport costs may apply, approx € 7.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
Once a week we will go swimming with the whole group. Everybody in the family is welcome. We will visit a nearby pool and just have fun in the water. Depending on the pool, there are also spa facilities for parents.
Kids are allowed to join without a parent if the parents decide that their kids are at a maturity level to do the activity without any guidance, and if they listen well to instructions.
The cost is approx. €10 for parents, €5 for kids.
*All prices are based on last years experience. Due to a raise in the price of commercial electricity, prices may be higher
During the weekly presentation, the kids from the kids program will present what they learned in their project. The kids from the kids club might also have something they like to show. Or maybe the teens even have something planned.
