Building huts with children

27 October 2025

Denise (19 years old, standing on the left in the photo) has been a volunteer at Huttendorp every summer for five years. There, she guides a group of children in building huts and, together with the other volunteers, ensures a super fun week. “It’s a big, positive world there, this is really fantastic!”

What does such a week look like?

“We are going to build huts in groups with about 800 children aged 6 to 12. For a whole week. I will then, together with another volunteer, guide a group of ten children in building a hut. In addition, there are also various other activities such as playing games, performing plays, making candles, and painting. What makes it even more fun is that there is a hut village song every year, and it is sung all day long. It is a joyful occasion.”

“It is from Monday to Friday for the children. For the volunteers, the week lasts from Saturday to Saturday because we receive training every year. The training includes how to interact with children and how to build a hut well and, above all, safely. The training sessions also focus on getting to know the other volunteers and co-leader because you want to have a good relationship so that you can guide the children effectively.”

Why do you specifically do this volunteer work?

“I love working with children, really. Especially the little ones are amazing. It’s a super cozy week because you eat and have breakfast together with the volunteers, and there is an option to stay overnight. Sometimes it goes on until late at night. In the morning, we always do morning gymnastics which is great, I even know the hupsakee. Besides, you get so enthusiastic because of the children. It’s a big positive world there, this is truly fantastic. As a child, I always participated myself. You can become a volunteer from the age of 15. When I was 15, I thought: why not? The nice thing is that the people who became volunteers for the first time when I was 15 are still volunteers now, you really have a kind of group.”

What makes it so special for you?

“What makes it so special is that by investing energy in the children, you also receive a lot of energy back yourself. The children are so happy that sometimes they come back the next morning with a drawing for you. You mean so much to those children in such a short time. You build a very strong bond with both the children and the volunteers. I also notice this with the parents, who are always allowed to watch the hut on Thursdays; they say things like: ‘They won’t stop talking about you at home!’ This is very strange but really super fun. The beauty with children is that you can say to them ‘Wow, you have a beautiful shirt on!’ and you are immediately best friends. This is just really beautiful.”Interview: Kiki Dusebout
Photos: Private collection Denise