With a growing cost of living crisis stretching finances for families, certain activities can often feel beyond the means of many. To ensure that nobody misses out and to make up for opportunities lost during the coronavirus pandemic, the German city of Bremen is to give all children and young people 60 euros to spend on leisure activities. 

All young people in Bremen to receive 60 euros for free time activities

The Bremen Senate announced last week that it was launching a new scheme to help young people in the smallest federal state in Germany to engage in free time activities like going to swimming pools, visiting ice skating rinks, or watching films at the cinema.

The scheme will see every child and young person in the state be given a so-called Freikarte loaded with 60 euros of credit that can be paid for certain leisure activities - including admission, equipment rental, food and drinks. It will be available before the autumn school holidays start in October. The cards will be loaded with another 60 euros next year. 

Children missed out during the pandemic

The idea of the ticket is to help children who may have missed out on activities during the coronavirus pandemic. “Children and young people had to do without a lot during the pandemic,” said Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte, announcing that 12,2 million euros will be released from the state’s coronavirus recovery fund to go towards the scheme.

A similar project is also going ahead in Stuttgart.