Debrecen4U October 12, 2026

Debrecen Hétszínvirág Sports Kindergarten Celebrates 40th Anniversary

The kindergarten now known as Debrecen Hétszínvirág Sports Kindergarten began operating in the Tócóskert district four decades ago. It was initially called Angyalföld Square Day Nursery and Kindergarten, later became Hétszínvirág Kindergarten, and subsequently joined Ifjúság Street Kindergarten as a branch institution. Since 1 August 2024, it has operated independently under its current name.

At the anniversary celebration held on 9 October 2026, Headteacher Erzsébet Szabó spoke about the importance of the institution’s opening on 1 September 1986 under the name Angyalföld Square Day Nursery and Kindergarten for the Tócóskert community. Although it was only the third kindergarten in the district, its groups were large from the beginning. For the first ten years, the gymnasium was even used as a group room, while three additional groups operated in converted residential apartments for six years.

Alongside environmental education and the preservation of traditions, the kindergarten placed an emphasis on physical education from an early stage, giving its current identity as a sports kindergarten deep-rooted foundations. After the institution adopted the name Hétszínvirág Kindergarten in 1998, it began to focus more intensively on remedial physical education. This helped make it increasingly popular with parents of young children, a reputation it has maintained to this day.

The kindergarten developed a professional remedial physical education programme entitled “Stand Tall!”, which has since been further refined, as well as a collection of good practices. Its motto, established decades ago, remains unchanged: “Physical and mental health in a healthy environment.”

The headteacher also recalled the challenging period between August 2022 and November 2023, when the building underwent a comprehensive energy-efficiency renovation and the kindergarten had to relocate temporarily. After returning to the renovated premises, its specialist activities gained fresh momentum, including movement-based sessions delivered through programmes such as Így tedd rá! (a traditional folk-dance and movement programme), Mozgáskotta (Movement Score) and Vitamintorna (Vitamin Gymnastics).

On 1 August 2024, following a decision by the city council, the kindergarten became an independent institution, separating from Ifjúság Street Kindergarten, of which it had been a branch since the summer of 2015. The professional work of the newly independent Debrecen Hétszínvirág Sports Kindergarten is supported by close cooperation with the Debrecen Sports School.

This year, the kindergarten was awarded the title of Base Institution of the Education Authority. Its recognised good practice focuses on ways of integrating movement-development methods into kindergarten activities, including remedial physical education, Vitamin Gymnastics, Movement Score and traditional folk games. The kindergarten has also relaunched its Kindergarten Olympics in partnership with Vénkert Primary School.

Erzsébet Szabó described the kindergarten’s teaching staff and wider team as united and creative, working together as a true team while continually learning, undertaking further training and expanding their professional knowledge. The kindergarten currently cares for 150 children across seven groups.

In her congratulatory address, Deputy Mayor Diána Széles emphasised that when parents choose a kindergarten for their child, one of their main considerations is where they feel their child will receive the love they believe they need.

From the outset, this kindergarten helped make Tócóskert a more liveable and welcoming place. However, the deputy mayor noted that an institution must continually find ways to remain appealing, introducing new elements into its activities and maintaining a strong connection with local residents. In recent years, Hétszínvirág has achieved this through its renovated building, its transformation into a sports kindergarten and its enthusiastic team.

This ability to renew itself can help secure the institution’s success for decades to come. The kindergarten has already served several generations and will continue to do so. One of the greatest forms of recognition it could receive is for parents who once attended the kindergarten themselves to bring their own children there.

Debrecen’s strength lies in education and upbringing, and Hétszínvirág makes a significant contribution to this. In addition to education, the children who attend receive an abundance of love and care. The staff communicate with them through the language of love, and we are sincerely grateful to them for this, the deputy mayor said.

To mark the anniversary, both the headteacher and the deputy mayor presented gifts in recognition of the work of two former heads of the institution, Gáborné Hamza and Mária Orbánné Beranek, who attended the celebration. Diána Széles also presented the kindergarten with a commemorative certificate from the local authority. Together with András Varga, the district’s municipal representative and Vice-Chair of the General Assembly’s Youth and Sports Committee, she brought footballs and other balls as gifts for the children.

Szabolcs Komolay, Chair of the General Assembly’s Cultural and Education Committee, also attended the event.

The celebratory programme following the speeches featured members of the Így tedd rá! Talent Workshop, pupils from Debrecen’s Vörösmarty Mihály Primary and Basic Arts School, Rebeka Hella Szőke, and the Csipkebogyó group of the Forgórózsa Dance Ensemble.

The children and their parents had, in fact, begun celebrating the kindergarten’s birthday the previous day, with a full day of fun and engaging activities.

Source: debrecen.hu | Photo credit: Pixabay