(Minghui.org) As they rode the plane back to France from London after summer camp, Ruby’s son suddenly turned to her and said in a serious tone, “I want to cultivate.” He also talked about how he missed studying Zhuan Falun with other children in the camp. Ruby was pleased to hear this, especially when she saw how focused and confident her son was after attending the camp. “As his parent, his changes are such a blessing,” she said.
The seven-day summer camp at De Yin School in the UK concluded on July 31, 2026. Fifty-three children participated this year. The students, teachers, and volunteers came from the UK, as well as Spain, Italy, Norway, China, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Belgium, and the US.
During the camp, the children spent their days without cell phones or computers. They read the teachings of Falun Dafa, learned traditional Chinese culture, and conducted themselves according to Falun Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance. They learned how to discipline themselves and care for others.
Study and Exercise
Each day began with doing the Falun Dafa exercises outdoors at 8 a.m. In the evening, they studied Zhuan Falun together.
Camp attendees did the Falun Dafa exercises every morning. (Minghui.org)
The children at craft classes (Minghui.org)
Mr. Huang, the principal of De Yin School, said that the summer camp provided the children with a pure and peaceful environment so that they could study and exercise with people their age. Those did not practice Falun Dafa before they attended camp were able to experience the practice first hand by following the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance, learn to reflect on themselves, and be considerate of others.
In addition to studying the Fa and doing the exercises, the children also learned Chinese, classical poetry, traditional Chinese dance, drama, art, and handicrafts.
As part of the poetry and Chinese classes, the children were taught about proper behavior and cultivation based on traditional culture. In drama classes, they enacted ancient stories such as Monkey King’s Journey to the West and Hua Tuo. The classical dance and art classes helped the children with focus, self-discipline, and teamwork.
Seven-year-old Angel said she enjoyed classical dance classes the most. “The movements are complex, and that is precisely why we need to put in our best effort to practice, which was really fun,” she said.
When asked about his favorite class, Riley gave an interesting and short answer, “All of them. I listened carefully in all the classes.”
A student who has attended the summer camp for several years said that his favorite class this year was Chinese, especially classical poetry and recitation. He said, “The singing-like recitation is healing. Traditional culture is rarely seen in modern days; perhaps only in museums. But here, we can experience it here firsthand.”
Parents See Children’s Improvement
The children’s improvement in their personality, attitude, and behavior pleased their teachers and parents.
Ruby from France was touched while watching the children’s performances on the last day. She said that several parents were moved to tears when they saw how their children improved, “Seeing my child learn so many good things at the summer camp, become more confident and focused, and perform so well on stage, I feel so proud as a parent.”
Mr. Huang said that seeing the positive changes in the students was what made him most happy. “Many parents told me they saw significant improvements in their children’s personality, attitude, and behavior,” he said. One father said he noticed that his daughter became “better at in-depth thinking” after attending summer camp.
One parent who was a doctor said, “I can feel tolerance, thoughtfulness and love from everyone here. We worked so hard and it was all worth it. I hope to bring my child back next year.”
Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance Are Like Sunshine
The children's improvement was manifested in their daily interactions. One child said he was most impressed by the kindness. “Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance shine on everyone here. It felt so warm waking up to my roommates’ laughter every morning. People here are always ready to help.” What impressed him even more was that even when some children were naughty and disruptive, no one rejected or ignored them. Instead people showed them tolerance and help.
The children were from different countries and spoke different languages, such as English, Portuguese, Spanish and French. It initially wasn’t easy for them to communicate with one another. With the help of their parents and volunteers, they quickly became friends.
At the end of the summer camp, the children gave a warm round of applause to the volunteers who prepared meals for them every day.
Improving Together
Dr. Liu from the UK Falun Dafa Association said the summer camp is increasingly popular because of the volunteers’ dedication. He said the children learned, exercised, and spent time together in a pure and peaceful environment. This opportunity helped them to improve their character, and gave those who were not practitioners an opportunity to learn about Falun Dafa. “At the graduation ceremony, seeing the parents smile because of their children’s positive changes was gratifying,” he said.
The 11th De Yin School summer camp, for many children, was more than just a performance, classes, or a vacation. It was about kindness, self-discipline, and gratitude.
