This article is a ready-made kit for organizers of school trips to Krakow. Instead of long lectures you get 7 short field games, a clear day plan and checklists. The whole program works for grades 1-3, 4-6 and 7-8 with small adjustments to difficulty.
Move every 7-10 minutes - short tasks instead of hour-long blocks.
Roles for students - photographer, map reader, chronicler, team spokesperson.
Points and small prizes - competition in pairs or threes, not whole classes at once.
One-sentence instruction - a task must be understandable in 5 seconds.
Visible clock - each task has a time limit; finish with a joint summary and one quick takeaway.
Detail detectives - on the Market Square we look for 5 small architectural details. Each team has a card with outlines and matches photos to places.
Kazimierz brick bingo - students mark on the bingo card: an arch, a wrought gate, a star, an old sign, a narrow street. One bingo line wins a small prize.
Bridge mission on the footbridge - teams count sculptures above the cables and invent a team name inspired by movement and balance. Team photo at the end.
Whispered legends - each team receives 3 keywords and composes a 4-sentence mini-legend set near the location. Presentations last 20 seconds each.
Map of smells - a quick observational task. Teams point out 3 smells and 3 colors of the place. The chronicler writes them down, the spokesperson reads one sentence in the circle.
Shadows of history - by a wall or facade we create a "living picture" from shadows. The rest of the class guesses the title of the scene. Photo with the chronicler as documentation.
Minute for the master - at a chosen point each team picks an object and has 60 seconds to prepare an argument why this is the best place of the day.
9:30 - 10:15 Old Town start and 2 games: Detail detectives + Minute for the master.
10:15 - 10:45 Walk to the boulevards and a short break. Water, fruit, role rotation.
10:45 - 11:30 Bernatka footbridge - Bridge mission and team photos.
11:30 - 12:30 Short walk in Podgórze and Whispered legends in a green spot.
12:30 - 13:15 Lunch - simple, quick, reserved in advance. 15 minutes of quiet before heading out.
13:15 - 14:30 Kazimierz - Brick bingo + Map of smells in the side streets.
14:30 - 15:00 Finale and summary - each team shows 1 shot of the day and 1 takeaway.
Photographer - 2 photos per task, horizontal framing, avoid random faces of bystanders.
Map reader - sets direction, keeps pace and ensures safe crossings.
Chronicler - writes one sentence from each task into the class travel journal.
Team spokesperson - presents the result in 20 seconds. Next time a different person does it.
Grades 1-3 - more pictures than text, shorter distances, sticker prizes.
Grades 4-6 - hidden letters, simple ciphers, linking a detail to a concept.
Grades 7-8 - 1-minute mini-debates, epoch comparisons, selfie-report with a 2-sentence thesis.
Bingo and detail cards - one per team, plus markers.
A4 route map - loops, game points, breaks.
Travel journal - one page per task, space for a photo and a takeaway.
Role set - four pins on a string or simple wristbands with role names.
Swap outdoor games for indoor versions - look for details in arcades, gates and passages; record legends as short podcasts in groups.
Map puzzle - teams assemble fragments and indicate the shortest route connecting three points.
Class mini-exhibition - each team glues one A4 with their best photo and the sentence of the day. A corridor becomes a gallery and we do a quick guided tour led by students.
Rule 1-3-1 - one supervisor in front, three teams in the middle, one supervisor at the back.
Meeting zones - before entering a narrow street set a point A and point B.
Walking pace - match the slowest. Shorter steps, more frequent pauses.
Signals - agreed STOP word and raised hand at crossings.
Short Old Town loop - Market Square, Planty, arcades, finale with a view of the towers.
Kazimierz and boulevards - side streets, small squares, the footbridge as the climax.
Mix with Podgórze - Rynek Podgórski, a green stop, return along the Vistula.
Game cards x5 teams and markers.
Reservation for a quick lunch and nearby toilets.
Water, mini first-aid kit, tissues, spare sweatshirt.
Role assignments, phone timer, agreed signals.
Plan B for rain and 2 covered spots along the route.
A good guide sets the pace of the games, keeps time and takes care of safety. This lets the teacher and the class focus on the group rather than logistics. Book a tour with Małgorzata Kasprowicz - we will tailor the games, level and route to your group. Contact to arrange a date.
Best time to visit with a class - spring and early autumn for mild weather and fewer crowds.
Lunch options - pick a simple, pre-booked place near the route; many cafes in Kazimierz and around the Old Town offer group menus.
Toilets - plan 2 stops (start/end plus one mid-route) and confirm availability when you reserve lunch.
Photography - remind students about privacy and framing; encourage photos of details, textures and group moments.
What to bring - comfortable shoes, water, small backpack, printed game sheets, a charged phone with a timer.
