A simple creative activity where pupils colour in an EU-themed smoothie.
The EU Smoothie is one of the most popular classroom activities from My Big Friendly Guide to the European Union (BFG to EU) โ a web-based teaching and learning programme designed as a toolbox for teachers across Europe.โจ The programme offers structured lessons for different age groups, from Junior and Senior Infants to 6th class, and provides everything teachers need to bring European values into the classroom.
Whatโs the difference between Activities and Instructions?โจ
Activities are the interactive games or exercises your pupils will complete in class.โจ Instructions are the teacher materials that help you prepare : background notes, printable sheets, or instructions.
Learning objectives
The EU Smoothie helps children understand two key ideas:
- What it means to be part of a Union.
- The concept of shared sovereignty among EU Member States.
Through a fun and sensory activity, pupils discover that while EU countries mix and collaborate closely, each keeps its own identity, just like fruits blended into a smoothie.
Step 1 โ Introducing the European Union as a โclubโ
The activity begins with a discussion comparing the European Union to a club.โจ Children are asked:
- Which clubs do you belong to?
- What rules must you follow?
- What happens if someone wants to leave a club?
This analogy helps pupils distinguish between the continent of Europe and the club of the European Union.โจโจ It also leads to conversations about Brexit, showing that the United Kingdom chose to leave the EU club but cannot leave the continent, a way to explore the difference between politics and geography.
Step 2 โ Making the EU Smoothie
The teacher introduces a blender with an an EU flag on it and explains that the class will โmake the European Unionโ.โจ Each EU country is represented by a fruit:
Country โ Fruit :โจโจIreland โ Banana
France โ Blueberries
Poland โ Peach
Germany โ Milk
Malta โ Pineapple
Each group receives a bowl with the country flag and the corresponding fruit.โจThe teacher calls out every โcountryโ to join the EU club by asking children to add their fruit to the blender. This transition from fruit to country in the vocabulary helps children visualising that they are making the EU.โจ Children take turns blending the fruit, watching as something new is created: the EU Smoothie.
Step 3 โ Reflecting and discussing
Before tasting, pupils reflect on what happened:
Teacher :Have the fruit disappeared?
Students: yes!
Teacher: Are you sure?
Teacher: โWhy is the smoothie purple?โโจStudents: โBecause of the blueberries โ thatโs France!โโจTeacher: โWhat does it smell like?โโจStudents: โLike pineapple โ thatโs Malta!โโจTeacher: โWhy is it liquid?โโจStudents: โBecause of the milk โ thatโs Germany!โ
Children realise that although each ingredient has changed form, all are still there, together creating something new.โจThis becomes a tangible metaphor for shared sovereignty: countries remain distinct yet contribute to a greater whole.
Step 4 โ Talking about Brexit and interdependence
The EU Smoothie naturally leads to conversations about Brexit.โจStudents observe that itโs impossible to simply โremoveโ one fruit from the smoothie:
Teacher: โCan we take the blueberries out?โโจStudent: โWe canโt!โโจ
This shows how deeply interconnected EU countries are, and how complex it is to โseparateโ after years of shared policies and cooperation. The EU isn't a fruit salad!โจ
Learning outcomesโจ
The EU Smoothie encourages:
- Hands-on learning through sensory exploration.
- Critical thinking about abstract concepts like union and sovereignty.
- Collaborative reflection on equality and interdependence among countries.
Children come away with a memorable image of what it means to be part of the European Union โ united in diversity.
