Hungary’s first smart kindergarten opened its doors with an opening ceremony that was far from ordinary. A humanoid robot named Pepper greeted the guests and thanked the Budapest XIII District Municipality for allowing him to move into the fully modernized Gyöngyszem Kindergarten.
The renovation began in 2022, and the children will be able to use the facility again in September 2024. The municipality invested 2.7 billion HUF in the project. The new kindergarten building features unique equipment and ‘smart home’ automation, Index reported.
However, the smart concept extends beyond the building’s design and maintenance. The municipality’s pedagogical programme acknowledges that rapid digital technological development has become an integral part of our everyday lives,
making it a crucial component of the pre-school education process.
‘Many people associate digitialization with the provision of technology or even with household access to the internet. I believe this is not enough. What matters more is the intelligent use of technology, and we need to start this process in kindergarten to educate the society of the future. It is crucial for children to receive not only technological but also emotional and social support in kindergartens. We must create a harmony between these elements, integrating digital education with preparation for community life. This is a significant educational task,’ Mayor József Tóth said at the opening ceremony.
The kindergarten, originally built in 1981, has undergone a complete renovation, as it was no longer suitable for accommodating the functional rooms required by current standards.
‘The basic smart concept of the building revolves around play and activity rooms,’ the mayor explained. ‘These include a smart room equipped with digital tools, a creative art workshop that fosters personal development through the creative process, a kitchenette where children can experience cooking together and learn about healthy eating, and gyms with developmental equipment. On the terraces and in the playground’s learning gardens, kindergarten children will gain hands-on knowledge about the natural environment and plant cultivation. Additionally, parents will be able to gain insight into the educational work of the nursery through cameras. Pepper, the humanoid robot, will primarily be responsible for customer service,’ he added.
‘Here, as in other kindergartens in the
district, children can develop their logical thinking and learn the basics of programming
through playful robotics activities with BeeBot,’ József Tóth added. ‘In the previous school year, our staff were trained to understand the new tools and systems. We place special emphasis not only on the children’s technological education but also on their emotional and social development, ensuring they are prepared for both social life and the digital challenges of the future.’
The technical and mechanical solutions implemented in the building, including the installation of a complex monitoring and optimization building management system (Loxone), have resulted in a smart public building that aligns with the vision of the Smart District concept. Smart devices, such as smart lighting, smart thermostats, smart locks, and smart cameras, are interconnected and communicate with each other and with the user. This integration enhances the institution’s comfort, safety, and energy efficiency.
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