facts about poland for children's homework

– on the   (green & dark grey)
– in the   (green)  —  [ ]

The Constitution of Poland is the enacted supreme law, and Polish judicature is based on the principle of civil rights, governed by the code of civil law . The current democratic constitution was adopted by the National Assembly of Poland on 2 April 1997; it guarantees a multi-party state with freedoms of religion, speech and assembly, prohibits the practices of forced medical experimentation , corporal punishment, and acknowledges the inviolability of the home, the right to form trade unions , and the right to strike .

The judiciary in Poland is composed of the Supreme Court as the country's highest judicial organ, the Supreme Administrative Court for the judicial control of public administration, Common Courts (District, Regional, Appellate ) and the Military Court . The Constitutional and State Tribunals are separate judicial bodies, which rule the constitutional liability of people holding the highest offices of state and supervise the compliance of statutory law , thus protecting the Constitution. Judges are nominated by the National Council of the Judiciary and are appointed for life by the president . On the approval of the Senate, the Sejm appoints an ombudsman for a five-year term to guard the observance of social justice.

Historically, the most significant Polish legal act is the Constitution of 3 May 1791. Instituted to redress long-standing political defects of the federative Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and its Golden Liberty, it was the first modern constitution in Europe and influenced many later democratic movements across the globe. In 1918, the Second Polish Republic became one of the first countries to introduce universal women's suffrage .

Poland is a middle power and is transitioning into a regional power in Europe. It has a total of 52 representatives in the European Parliament as of 2022. Warsaw serves as the headquarters for Frontex, the European Union's agency for external border security as well as ODIHR, one of the principal institutions of the OSCE . Apart from the European Union, Poland has been a member of NATO , the United Nations , and the WTO .

In recent years, Poland significantly strengthened its relations with the United States, thus becoming one of its closest allies and strategic partners in Europe. Historically, Poland maintained strong cultural and political ties to Hungary; this special relationship was recognised by the parliaments of both countries in 2007 with the joint declaration of 23 March as "The Day of Polish-Hungarian Friendship".

The Polish Armed Forces are composed of five branches – the Land Forces, the Navy, the Air Force, the Special Forces and the Territorial Defence Force. The military is subordinate to the Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland. However, its commander-in-chief in peacetime is the president, who nominates officers, the Minister for National Defence and the chief of staff. Polish military tradition is generally commemorated by the Armed Forces Day, celebrated annually on 15 August. As of 2022, the Polish Armed Forces have a combined strength of 114,050 active soldiers, with a further 75,400 active in the gendarmerie and defence force.

Poland is spending 2% of its GDP on defence, equivalent to approximately US$14.5 billion in 2022, with a slated increase to US$29 billion in 2023. From 2022, Poland is set to spend 110 billion euros on the modernisation of its armed forces, in close cooperation with American, South Korean and local Polish defence manufacturers. Also, the Polish military is set to increase its size to 250,000 enlisted and officers, and 50,000 defence force personnel. According to SIPRI, the country exported €487 million worth of arms and armaments to foreign countries in 2020.

Compulsory military service for men, who previously had to serve for nine months, was discontinued in 2008. Polish military doctrine reflects the same defensive nature as that of its NATO partners and the country actively hosts NATO's military exercises. Since 1953, the country has been a large contributor to various United Nations peacekeeping missions, and currently maintains military presence in the Middle East, Africa, the Baltic states and southeastern Europe .

Law enforcement in Poland is performed by several agencies which are subordinate to the Ministry of Interior and Administration – the State Police ( Policja ), assigned to investigate crimes or transgression; the Municipal City Guard, which maintains public order; and several specialised agencies, such as the Polish Border Guard. Private security firms are also common, although they possess no legal authority to arrest or detain a suspect. Municipal guards are primarily headed by provincial, regional or city councils; individual guards are not permitted to carry firearms unless instructed by the superior commanding officer. Security service personnel conduct regular patrols in both large urban areas or smaller suburban localities.

The Internal Security Agency (ABW, or ISA in English) is the chief counter-intelligence instrument safeguarding Poland's internal security, along with Agencja Wywiadu (AW) which identifies threats and collects secret information abroad. The Central Investigation Bureau of Police (CBŚP) and the Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA) are responsible for countering organised crime and corruption in state and private institutions.

Emergency services in Poland consist of the emergency medical services, search and rescue units of the Polish Armed Forces and State Fire Service. Emergency medical services in Poland are operated by local and regional governments, but are a part of the centralised national agency - the National Medical Emergency Service ( Państwowe Ratownictwo Medyczne ).

As of 2023, Poland's economy and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the sixth largest in the European Union by nominal standards and the fifth largest by purchasing power parity. It is also one of the fastest growing within the Union and reached a developed market status in 2018. The unemployment rate published by Eurostat in 2021 amounted to 2.9%, which was the second-lowest in the EU. Around 61% of the employed population works in the service sector, 31% in manufacturing, and 8% in the agricultural sector. Although Poland is a member of EU's single market, the country has not adopted the Euro as legal tender and maintains its own currency – the Polish złoty (zł, PLN).

Poland is the regional economic leader in Central Europe , with nearly 40 per cent of the 500 biggest companies in the region (by revenues) as well as a high globalisation rate. The country's largest firms compose the WIG20 and WIG30 indexes, which is traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. According to reports made by the National Bank of Poland, the value of Polish foreign direct investments reached almost 300 billion PLN at the end of 2014. The Central Statistical Office estimated that in 2014 there were 1,437 Polish corporations with interests in 3,194 foreign entities.

Poland has the largest banking sector in Central Europe, with 32.3 branches per 100,000 adults. It was the only European economy to have avoided the recession of 2008 . The country is the 20th largest exporter of goods and services in the world. Exports of goods and services are valued at approximately 56% of GDP, as of 2020. In 2019, Poland passed a law that would exempt workers under the age of 26 from income tax .

Poland experienced a significant increase in the number of tourists after joining the European Union in 2004. With nearly 21 million international arrivals in 2019, tourism contributes considerably to the overall economy and makes up a relatively large proportion of the country's service market.

Tourist attractions in Poland vary, from the mountains in the south to the sandy beaches in the north, with a trail of nearly every architectural style. The most visited city is Kraków , which was the former capital of Poland and serves as a relic of the Polish Golden Age and the Renaissance. Kraków also held royal coronations of most Polish kings and monarchs at Wawel, the nation's chief historical landmark. Among other notable sites in the country is Wrocław , one of the oldest cities in Poland which was a model for the founding of Kraków. Wrocław is famous for its dwarf statues, a large market square with two town halls, and the oldest Zoological Gardens with one of the world's largest number of animal species . The Polish capital Warsaw and its historical Old Town were entirely reconstructed after wartime destruction. Other cities attracting countless tourists include Gdańsk , Poznań , Lublin , Toruń as well as the site of the German Auschwitz concentration camp in Oświęcim . A notable highlight is the 13th-century Wieliczka Salt Mine with its labyrinthine tunnels, a subterranean lake and chapels carved by miners out of rock salt beneath the ground.

Poland's main tourist offerings include outdoor activities such as skiing , sailing , mountain hiking and climbing , as well as agritourism, sightseeing historical monuments. Tourist destinations include the Baltic Sea coast in the north; the Masurian Lake District and Białowieża Forest in the east; on the south Karkonosze , the Table Mountains and the Tatra Mountains , where Rysy – the highest peak of Poland, and Eagle's Path mountain trail are located. The Pieniny and Bieszczady Mountains lie in the extreme south-east. There are over 100 castles in the country, most in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship , and also on the Trail of the Eagles' Nests. The largest castle in the world by land area is situated in Malbork, in north-central Poland.

Transport in Poland is provided by means of rail, road, marine shipping and air travel. The country is part of EU's Schengen Area and is an important transport hub along neighbouring Germany due to its strategic position in Central Europe . Some of the longest European routes, including the E40, run through Poland.

The country has a good network of highways, composed of express roads and motorways . At the start of 2022, Poland had 4,623.3 km (2,872.8 mi) of highways in use. In addition, all local and regional roads are monitored by the National Road Rebuilding Programme, which aims to improve the quality of travel in the countryside and suburban localities.

In 2017, the nation had 18,513 kilometres (11,503 mi) of railway track, the third longest in European Union, after Germany and France. The Polish State Railways (PKP) is the dominant railway operator in the country. Poland has a number of international airports, the largest of which is Warsaw Chopin Airport, the primary global hub for LOT Polish Airlines .

Seaports exist all along Poland's Baltic coast, with most freight operations using Świnoujście, Police, Szczecin, Kołobrzeg, Gdynia, Gdańsk and Elbląg as their base. The Port of Gdańsk is the only port in the Baltic Sea adapted to receive oceanic vessels.

The electricity generation sector in Poland is largely fossil-fuel –based. Coal production in Poland is a major source of jobs and the largest source of the nation's greenhouse gas emissions. Many power plants nationwide use Poland's position as a major European exporter of coal to their advantage by continuing to use coal as the primary raw material in the production of their energy. The three largest Polish coal mining firms (Węglokoks, Kompania Węglowa and JSW) extract around 100 million tonnes of coal annually. After coal, Polish energy supply relies significantly on oil—the nation is the third-largest buyer of Russian oil exports to the EU.

The new Energy Policy of Poland until 2040 (EPP2040) would reduce the share of coal and lignite in electricity generation by 25% from 2017 to 2030. The plan involves deploying new nuclear plants, increasing energy efficiency, and decarbonising the Polish transport system in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prioritise long-term energy security.

Over the course of history, the Polish people have made considerable contributions in the fields of science, technology and mathematics. Perhaps the most renowned Pole to support this theory was Nicolaus Copernicus ( Mikołaj Kopernik ), who triggered the Copernican Revolution by placing the Sun rather than the Earth at the center of the universe . He also derived a quantity theory of money, which made him a pioneer of economics. Copernicus' achievements and discoveries are considered the basis of Polish culture and cultural identity. Poland was ranked 40th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021, down from 39th in 2019.

Poland's tertiary education institutions; traditional universities, as well as technical, medical, and economic institutions, employ around tens of thousands of researchers and staff members. There are hundreds of research and development institutes. However, in the 19th and 20th centuries many Polish scientists worked abroad; one of the most important of these exiles was Maria Skłodowska-Curie , a physicist and chemist who lived much of her life in France. In 1925 she established Poland's Radium Institute.

In the first half of the 20th century, Poland was a flourishing centre of mathematics. Outstanding Polish mathematicians formed the Lwów School of Mathematics (with Stefan Banach , Stanisław Mazur, Hugo Steinhaus, Stanisław Ulam ) and Warsaw School of Mathematics (with Alfred Tarski , Kazimierz Kuratowski, Wacław Sierpiński and Antoni Zygmund). Numerous mathematicians, scientists, chemists or economists emigrated due to historic vicissitudes, among them Benoit Mandelbrot , Leonid Hurwicz , Alfred Tarski , Joseph Rotblat and Nobel Prize laureates Roald Hoffmann , Georges Charpak and Tadeusz Reichstein . In the 1930s, mathematician and cryptologist Marian Rejewski invented the Cryptographic Bomb which formed the basis of the effort that allowed the Allies to crack the Enigma code .

Demographics

Poland has a population of approximately 38.2 million as of 2021, and is the ninth-most populous country in Europe, as well as the fifth-most populous member state of the European Union . It has a population density of 122 inhabitants per square kilometre (328 per square mile). The total fertility rate was estimated at 1.42 children born to a woman in 2019, which is among the world's lowest. Furthermore, Poland's population is aging significantly, and the country has a median age of roughly 42.

Around 60% of the country's population lives in urban areas or major cities and 40% in rural zones. In 2020, 50.2% of Poles resided in detached dwellings and 44.3% in apartments . The most populous administrative province or state is the Masovian Voivodeship and the most populous city is the capital, Warsaw , at 1.8 million inhabitants with a further 2–3 million people living in its metropolitan area. The metropolitan area of Katowice is the largest urban conurbation with a population between 2.7 million and 5.3 million residents. Population density is higher in the south of Poland and mostly concentrated between the cities of Wrocław and Kraków .

In the 2011 Polish census, 37,310,341 people reported Polish identity, 846,719 Silesian, 232,547 Kashubian and 147,814 German. Other identities were reported by 163,363 people (0.41%) and 521,470 people (1.35%) did not specify any nationality. Official population statistics do not include migrant workers who do not possess a permanent residency permit or Karta Polaka. More than 1.7 million Ukrainian citizens worked legally in Poland in 2017. The number of migrants is rising steadily; the country approved 504,172 work permits for foreigners in 2021 alone.

Polish is the official and predominant spoken language in Poland, and is one of the official languages of the European Union. It is also a second language in parts of neighbouring Lithuania , where it is taught in Polish-minority schools. Contemporary Poland is a linguistically homogeneous nation, with 97% of respondents declaring Polish as their mother tongue. There are currently 15 minority languages in Poland, including one recognised regional language, Kashubian , which is spoken by approximately 100,000 people on a daily basis in the northern regions of Kashubia and Pomerania . Poland also recognises secondary administrative languages or auxiliary languages in bilingual municipalities, where bilingual signs and placenames are commonplace. According to the Centre for Public Opinion Research, around 32% of Polish citizens declared knowledge of the English language in 2015.

According to the 2011 census, 87.6% of all Polish citizens adhere to the Roman Catholic Church, with 2.4% identifying as having no religion. Poland is one of the most religious countries in Europe, where Roman Catholicism remains a criterion of national identity and Polish-born Pope John Paul II is widely revered. In 2015, 61.6% of respondents outlined that religion is of high or very high importance. Important pilgrimages to the Jasna Góra Monastery, a shrine dedicated to the Black Madonna, take place annually. However, church attendance has decreased in recent years; only 38% of worshippers attended mass regularly on Sunday in 2018.

Freedom of religion in Poland is guaranteed by the Constitution, and the concordat guarantees the teaching of religion in public schools. Historically, the Polish state maintained a high degree of religious tolerance and provided asylum for refugees fleeing religious persecutions in other parts of Europe. Poland also hosted Europe's largest Jewish diaspora and the country was a centre of Ashkenazi Jewish culture and traditional learning until the Holocaust .

Contemporary religious minorities comprise Orthodox Christians, Protestants — including Lutherans of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church, Pentecostals in the Pentecostal Church in Poland, Adventists in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and other smaller Evangelical denominations — Jehovah's Witnesses , Eastern Catholics , Mariavites, Jews, Muslims ( Tatars ) and neopagans , some of whom are members of the Native Polish Church.

Medical service providers and hospitals ( szpitale ) in Poland are subordinate to the Ministry of Health; it provides administrative oversight and scrutiny of general medical practice, and is obliged to maintain a high standard of hygiene and patient care. Poland has a universal healthcare system based on an all-inclusive insurance system; state subsidised healthcare is available to all citizens covered by the general health insurance program of the National Health Fund (NFZ). Private medical complexes exist nationwide; over 50% of the population uses both public and private sectors.

According to the Human Development Report from 2020, the average life expectancy at birth is 79 years (around 75 years for an infant male and 83 years for an infant female); the country has a low infant mortality rate (4 per 1,000 births). In 2019, the principal cause of death was ischemic heart disease; diseases of the circulatory system accounted for 45% of all deaths. In the same year, Poland was also the 15th-largest importer of medications and pharmaceutical products.

The Jagiellonian University founded in 1364 by Casimir III in Kraków was the first institution of higher learning established in Poland, and is one of the oldest universities still in continuous operation. Poland's Commission of National Education ( Komisja Edukacji Narodowej ), established in 1773, was the world's first state ministry of education.

The framework for primary , secondary and higher tertiary education are established by the Ministry of Education and Science. Kindergarten attendance is optional for children aged between three and five, with one year being compulsory for six-year-olds. Primary education traditionally begins at the age of seven, although children aged six can attend at the request of their parents or guardians. Elementary school spans eight grades and secondary schooling is dependent on student preference – a four-year high school ( liceum ), a five-year technical school ( technikum ) or various vocational studies ( szkoła branżowa ) can be pursued by each individual pupil. A liceum or technikum is concluded with a maturity exit exam ( matura ), which must be passed in order to apply for a university or other institutions of higher learning.

In Poland, there are over 500 university-level institutions, with technical, medical, economic, agricultural, pedagogical, theological, musical, maritime and military faculties. The University of Warsaw and Warsaw Polytechnic, the University of Wrocław , Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and the University of Technology in Gdańsk are among the most prominent. There are three conventional academic degrees in Poland – licencjat or inżynier (first cycle qualification), magister (second cycle qualification) and doktor (third cycle qualification). In 2018, the Programme for International Student Assessment , coordinated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development , ranked Poland's educational system higher than the OECD average; the study showed that students in Poland perform better academically than in most OECD countries.

The culture of Poland is closely connected with its intricate 1,000-year history , and forms an important constituent in the Western civilisation . The Poles take great pride in their national identity which is often associated with the colours white and red, and exuded by the expression biało-czerwoni ("whitereds"). National symbols, chiefly the crowned white-tailed eagle , are often visible on clothing, insignia and emblems. The architectural monuments of great importance are protected by the National Heritage Board of Poland. Over 100 of the country's most significant tangible wonders were enlisted onto the Historic Monuments Register, with further 17 being recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites.

There are 13 government-approved annual public holidays – New Year on 1 January, Three Kings' Day on 6 January, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday , Labour Day on 1 May, Constitution Day on 3 May, Pentecost , Corpus Christi , Feast of the Assumption on 15 August, All Saints' Day on 1 November, Independence Day on 11 November and Christmastide on 25 and 26 December.

Particular traditions and superstitious customs observed in Poland are not found elsewhere in Europe. Though Christmas Eve ( Wigilia ) is not a public holiday, it remains the most memorable day of the entire year. Trees are decorated on 24 December, hay is placed under the tablecloth to resemble Jesus' manger , Christmas wafers ( opłatek ) are shared between gathered guests and a twelve-dish meatless supper is served that same evening when the first star appears. An empty plate and seat are symbolically left at the table for an unexpected guest. On occasion, carolers journey around smaller towns with a folk Turoń creature until the Lent period.

A widely-popular doughnut and sweet pastry feast occurs on Fat Thursday, usually 52 days prior to Easter . Eggs for Holy Sunday are painted and placed in decorated baskets that are previously blessed by clergymen in churches on Easter Saturday. Easter Monday is celebrated with pagan dyngus festivities, where the youth is engaged in water fights. Cemeteries and graves of the deceased are annually visited by family members on All Saints' Day; tombstones are cleaned as a sign of respect and candles are lit to honour the dead on an unprecedented scale.

Artists from Poland, including famous musicians such as Frédéric Chopin , Artur Rubinstein , Ignacy Jan Paderewski , Krzysztof Penderecki , Henryk Wieniawski , Karol Szymanowski , and traditional, regionalised folk composers create a lively and diverse music scene, which even recognises its own music genres, such as sung poetry and disco polo.

The origins of Polish music can be traced to the 13th century; manuscripts have been found in Stary Sącz containing polyphonic compositions related to the Parisian Notre Dame School. Other early compositions, such as the melody of Bogurodzica and God Is Born (a coronation polonaise tune for Polish kings by an unknown composer), may also date back to this period, however, the first known notable composer, Nicholas of Radom, lived in the 15th century. Diomedes Cato, a native-born Italian who lived in Kraków, became a renowned lutenist at the court of Sigismund III; he not only imported some of the musical styles from southern Europe but blended them with native folk music.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Polish baroque composers wrote liturgical music and secular compositions such as concertos and sonatas for voices or instruments. At the end of the 18th century, Polish classical music evolved into national forms like the polonaise . Wojciech Bogusławski is accredited with composing the first Polish national opera , titled Krakowiacy i Górale , which premiered in 1794.

Poland today has an active music scene, with the jazz and metal genres being particularly popular among the contemporary populace. Polish jazz musicians such as Krzysztof Komeda created a unique style, which was most famous in the 1960s and 1970s and continues to be popular to this day. Poland has also become a major venue for large-scale music festivals, chief among which are the Open'er Festival, Opole Festival and Sopot Festival.

Art in Poland has invariably reflected European trends, with Polish painting pivoted on folklore , Catholic themes, historicism and realism , but also on impressionism and romanticism. An important art movement was Young Poland , developed in the late 19th century for promoting decadence, symbolism and art nouveau . Since the 20th century Polish documentary art and photography has enjoyed worldwide fame, especially the Polish School of Posters. One of the most distinguished paintings in Poland is Lady with an Ermine (1490) by Leonardo da Vinci .

Internationally renowned Polish artists include Jan Matejko (historicism), Jacek Malczewski (symbolism), Stanisław Wyspiański (art nouveau), Henryk Siemiradzki (Roman academic art ), Tamara de Lempicka ( art deco ), and Zdzisław Beksiński (dystopian surrealism ). Several Polish artists and sculptors were also acclaimed representatives of avant-garde , constructivist , minimalist and contemporary art movements, including Katarzyna Kobro , Władysław Strzemiński, Magdalena Abakanowicz , Alina Szapocznikow , Igor Mitoraj and Wilhelm Sasnal.

Notable art academies in Poland include the Kraków Academy of Fine Arts, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, Art Academy of Szczecin, University of Fine Arts in Poznań and the Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław. Contemporary works are exhibited at Zachęta, Ujazdów, and MOCAK art galleries.

The architecture of Poland reflects European architectural styles, with strong historical influences derived from Italy, Germany, and the Low Countries . Settlements founded on Magdeburg Law evolved around central marketplaces ( plac , rynek ), encircled by a grid or concentric network of streets forming an old town ( stare miasto ). Poland's traditional landscape is characterised by ornate churches, city tenements and town halls. Cloth hall markets ( sukiennice ) were once an abundant feature of Polish urban architecture. The mountainous south is known for its Zakopane chalet style, which originated in Poland.

The earliest architectonic trend was Romanesque ( c. 11th century), but its traces in the form of circular rotundas are scarce. The arrival of brick Gothic ( c. 13th century) defined Poland's most distinguishable medieval style, exuded by the castles of Malbork, Lidzbark, Gniew and Kwidzyn as well as the cathedrals of Gniezno, Gdańsk, Wrocław, Frombork and Kraków. The Renaissance (16th century) gave rise to Italianate courtyards, defensive palazzos and mausoleums. Decorative attics with pinnacles and arcade loggias are elements of Polish Mannerism , found in Poznań , Lublin and Zamość. Foreign artisans often came at the expense of kings or nobles, whose palaces were built thereafter in the Baroque, Neoclassical and Revivalist styles (17th–19th century).

Primary building materials comprising timber or red brick were extensively utilised in Polish folk architecture, and the concept of a fortified church was commonplace. Secular structures such as dworek manor houses, farmsteads, granaries , mills and country inns are still present in some regions or in open air museums ( skansen ). However, traditional construction methods faded in the early-mid 20th century due to urbanisation and the construction of functionalist housing estates and residential areas.

The literary works of Poland have traditionally concentrated around the themes of patriotism , spirituality , social allegories and moral narratives. The earliest examples of Polish literature, written in Latin , date to the 12th century. The first Polish phrase – Day ut ia pobrusa, a ti poziwai – was documented in the Book of Henryków and reflected the use of a quern-stone . It has been since included in UNESCO's Memory of World Register . The oldest extant manuscripts of fine prose in Old Polish are the Holy Cross Sermons and the Bible of Queen Sophia, and Calendarium cracoviense (1474) is Poland's oldest surviving print .

The poets Jan Kochanowski and Nicholas Rey became the first Renaissance authors to write in Polish. Prime literarians of the period included Dantiscus, Modrevius, Goslicius, Sarbievius and theologian John Laski . In the Baroque era, Jesuit philosophy and local culture greatly influenced the literary techniques of Jan Andrzej Morsztyn (Marinism) and Jan Chryzostom Pasek (sarmatian memoirs). During the Enlightenment, playwright Ignacy Krasicki composed the first Polish-language novel. Poland's leading 19th-century romantic poets were the Three Bards – Juliusz Słowacki , Zygmunt Krasiński and Adam Mickiewicz , whose epic poem Pan Tadeusz (1834) is a national classic. In the 20th century, the English impressionist and early modernist writings of Joseph Conrad made him one of the most eminent novelists of all time.

Contemporary Polish literature is versatile, with its fantasy genre having been particularly praised. The philosophical sci-fi novel Solaris by Stanisław Lem and The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski are celebrated works of world fiction. Poland has six Nobel-Prize winning authors – Henryk Sienkiewicz ( Quo Vadis ; 1905), Władysław Reymont ( The Peasants ; 1924), Isaac Bashevis Singer (1978), Czesław Miłosz (1980), Wisława Szymborska (1996), and Olga Tokarczuk (2018).

The cuisine of Poland is eclectic and shares similarities with other regional cuisines. Among the staple or regional dishes are pierogi (filled dumplings), kielbasa (sausage), bigos (hunter's stew), kotlet schabowy (breaded cutlet), gołąbki (cabbage rolls), barszcz (borscht), żurek (soured rye soup), oscypek (smoked cheese), and tomato soup . Bagels , a type of bread roll , also originated in Poland.

Traditional dishes are hearty and abundant in pork , potatoes, eggs, cream, mushrooms, regional herbs, and sauce. Polish food is characteristic for its various kinds of kluski (soft dumplings), soups , cereals and a variety of breads and open sandwiches . Salads, including mizeria (cucumber salad), coleslaw , sauerkraut , carrot and seared beets, are common. Meals conclude with a dessert such as sernik (cheesecake), makowiec (poppy seed roll), or napoleonka cream pie.

Traditional alcoholic beverages include honey mead , widespread since the 13th century, beer, wine and vodka . The world's first written mention of vodka originates from Poland. The most popular alcoholic drinks at present are beer and wine which took over from vodka more popular in the years 1980–1998. Grodziskie , sometimes referred to as "Polish Champagne", is an example of a historical beer style from Poland. Tea remains common in Polish society since the 19th century, whilst coffee is drunk widely since the 18th century.

Several Polish designers and stylists left a legacy of beauty inventions and cosmetics ; including Helena Rubinstein and Maksymilian Faktorowicz, who created a line of cosmetics company in California known as Max Factor and formulated the term "make-up" which is now widely used as an alternative for describing cosmetics. Faktorowicz is also credited with inventing modern eyelash extensions. As of 2020, Poland possesses the fifth-largest cosmetic market in Europe. Inglot Cosmetics is the country's largest beauty products manufacturer, and the retail store Reserved is the country's most successful clothing store chain.

Historically, fashion has been an important aspect of Poland's national consciousness or cultural manifestation, and the country developed its own style known as Sarmatism at the turn of the 17th century. The national dress and etiquette of Poland also reached the court at Versailles , where French dresses inspired by Polish garments included robe à la polonaise and the witzchoura. The scope of influence also entailed furniture; rococo Polish beds with canopies became fashionable in French châteaus. Sarmatism eventually faded in the wake of the 18th century.

The cinema of Poland traces its origins to 1894, when inventor Kazimierz Prószyński patented the Pleograph and subsequently the Aeroscope, the first successful hand-held operated film camera. In 1897, Jan Szczepanik constructed the Telectroscope, a prototype of television transmitting images and sounds. They are both recognised as pioneers of cinematography . Poland has also produced influential directors, film producers and actors, many of whom were active in Hollywood , chiefly Roman Polański , Andrzej Wajda , Pola Negri , Samuel Goldwyn , the Warner brothers , Max Fleischer , Agnieszka Holland , Krzysztof Zanussi and Krzysztof Kieślowski .

The themes commonly explored in Polish cinema include history , drama , war, culture and black realism ( film noir ). In the 21st-century, two Polish productions won the Academy Awards – The Pianist (2002) by Roman Polański and Ida (2013) by Paweł Pawlikowski .

According to the Eurobarometer Report (2015), 78 percent of Poles watch the television daily. In 2020, 79 percent of the population read the news more than once a day, placing it second behind Sweden. Poland has a number of major domestic media outlets, chiefly the public broadcasting corporation TVP, free-to-air channels TVN and Polsat as well as 24-hour news channels TVP Info, TVN 24 and Polsat News. Public television extends its operations to genre-specific programmes such as TVP Sport, TVP Historia, TVP Kultura, TVP Rozrywka, TVP Seriale and TVP Polonia, the latter a state-run channel dedicated to the transmission of Polish-language telecasts for the Polish diaspora. In 2020, the most popular types of newspapers were tabloids and socio-political news dailies.

Poland is a major European hub for video game developers and among the most successful companies are CD Projekt, Techland, The Farm 51, CI Games and People Can Fly. Some of the popular video games developed in Poland include The Witcher trilogy and Cyberpunk 2077 . The Polish city of Katowice also hosts Intel Extreme Masters, one of the biggest esports events in the world.

Motorcycle Speedway , volleyball and association football are among the country's most popular sports, with a rich history of international competitions. Track and field , basketball , handball , boxing, MMA , ski jumping , cross-country skiing, ice hockey , tennis, fencing, swimming, and weightlifting are other popular sports. The golden era of football in Poland occurred throughout the 1970s and went on until the early 1980s when the Polish national football team achieved their best results in any FIFA World Cup competitions finishing third place in the 1974 and the 1982 tournaments. The team won a gold medal in football at the 1972 Summer Olympics and two silver medals, in 1976 and in 1992 . In 2012, Poland co-hosted the UEFA European Football Championship .

As of January 2023, the Polish men's national volleyball team is ranked as first in the world. The team won a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics and the gold medal at the FIVB World Championship 1974, 2014 and 2018. Mariusz Pudzianowski is a highly successful strongman competitor and has won more World's Strongest Man titles than any other competitor in the world, winning the event in 2008 for the fifth time.

Poland has made a distinctive mark in motorcycle speedway racing. The top Ekstraliga division has one of the highest average attendances for any sport in Poland. The national speedway team of Poland is one of the major teams in international speedway. Individually, Poland has three Speedway Grand Prix World Champions, with the most successful being three-time World Champion Bartosz Zmarzlik who won back-to-back championships in 2019 and 2020, and his third in 2022. In 2021, Poland finished runners-up in the Speedway of Nations world championship final, held in Manchester, UK in 2021.

In the 21st century, the country has seen a growth of popularity of tennis and produced a number of successful tennis players including World No. 1 Iga Świątek , winner of three Grand Slam singles titles (2020 French Open, 2022 French Open and 2022 US Open); former World No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska , winner of 20 WTA career singles titles including 2015 WTA Finals; Top 10 ATP player Hubert Hurkacz; and former World No. 1 doubles player Łukasz Kubot whose career highlights include winning two Grand Slam doubles titles – 2014 Australian Open and 2017 Wimbledon Champioships. Poland also won the 2015 Hopman Cup with Agnieszka Radwańska and Jerzy Janowicz representing the country.

Poles made significant achievements in mountaineering, in particular, in the Himalayas and the winter ascending of the eight-thousanders . Polish mountains are one of the tourist attractions of the country. Hiking, climbing, skiing and mountain biking and attract numerous tourists every year from all over the world. Water sports are the most popular summer recreation activities, with ample locations for fishing, canoeing, kayaking, sailing and windsurfing especially in the northern regions of the country.

• This page was last modified on 8 June 2024, at 03:25. Suggest an edit .

Please enable JavaScript

Poland Facts For Kids

Warsaw (capital).

Warsaw, Poland’s capital, is a rich tapestry of culture and history offering an array of engaging activities for young explorers. The city is adorned with historic sites such as the Royal Castle, formerly a royal residence, now transformed into a museum, and the Wilanów Palace, often dubbed the ‘Polish Versailles’, boasting stunning gardens and captivating exhibits.

Polish Złoty (currency)

The Złoty is divided into 100 smaller units, analogous to the division of a dollar into cents, these units are known as groszy. Polish coins exist in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 groszy and 1, 2, and 5 Złoty, while the banknotes come in denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100, and 500 Złoty. An interesting aspect of the Polish Złoty is that it features images of renowned Polish monarchs and pivotal historical figures.

Chopin (Frédéric Chopin)

Solidarity (solidarność movement).

Poland, a country renowned for its stunning landscapes and rich historical heritage, is equally recognized for the prominent Solidarity movement, or ‘Solidarność’ in the native tongue. Originating in the 1980s, this non-violent, anti-communist social campaign, steered by Lech Walesa – later a Nobel Peace Prize laureate for his leadership, aimed for governmental change through peaceful protests.

Władysław II Jagiełło

Pierogi (food), auschwitz (concentration camp).

Situated in Poland, Auschwitz stands as a poignant reminder of one of the darkest periods in world history. Initially erected as the largest concentration and extermination camp by Nazi Germany during World War II, it became the tragic site where over a million innocent lives were abruptly extinguished.

Today, that site has been conscientiously converted into a museum and memorial, not only as a way to remember and educate about these horrific events but also as a solemn testament to the critical importance of combating hatred and fostering peace and understanding among all communities.

Masurian Lakes

Wawel castle, gdansk (city).

Known as the ‘Pearl of the North’, Gdansk, a city located in Poland, is a remarkable hub of history, culture, and commerce, offering an opportunity to learn about the past while also enjoying beautiful medieval architecture. This city, situated on the Baltic Sea, boasts an important seaport, thereby serving as a key trade center.

Fun Facts About Poland for Kids

Poland vocabulary, all about poland video for kids, poland q&a, map of poland.

Poland Facts

Most of the countryside is low-lying but the country does boast a number of woodlands and lakes.

Poland stands as a unique country with very few minorities in its population. While many of the neighboring countries have multiple languages and religions, Poland only uses Polish as their language and they share the common religion of Roman Catholicism.

Fun Facts about Poland:

Population:  38 163,000 people Capital City:  Warsaw, 2,200,000 people Language:  Polish Religion:  Roman Catholic Currency:  Zloty Area:  120,720 sq. mi. (312,385 sq km) Literacy Percentage:  100 Life Expectancy:  74 year

The locale that is what we call Poland was inhabited by a number of different tribes and groups in the early part of the AD centuries. They included the Balts, Celts, Huns, Scythians, Goths and the Germanic peoples.

• Create new account
• Reset your password

Register and get FREE resources and activities

Ready to unlock all our resources?

Poland is a large country in Eastern Europe. It has borders with seven other European countries and a population of almost 40 million people. The people of Poland speak Polish and are known as Poles and most of them are Roman Catholics ( Christians ).

Poland has a rich history and culture. Due to its location at the centre of Europe, the country has had a turbulent history and suffered many years of invasion and war.

Today Poland is known for its music, food and beautiful cities .

Top 10 facts

1. Poland has 117,552 square miles of land (it is two and a half times as large as the United Kingdom).

2. Most of Poland is made up of a flat plain. In the north there are so many small lakes that the area is known as the 'Land of a Thousand Lakes'.

3. Poland's official name is the Republic of Poland. Once ruled by kings, Poland became a republic in 1918 and a democracy in 1990.

4. Seven countries share a border with Poland: Russia, Lithuania, Belarus, Slovakia, Ukraine, the Czech Republic and Germany.

5. Almost 90% of Polish people are Roman Catholic.

6. Krakow is Poland's oldest and most beautiful city. It was the country's capital until 1600. Warsaw, Poland's largest city, is now the capital.

7. Poland joined the European Union in 2004.

8. Poland's borders have changed many times throughout history; its present borders were set after World War II.

9. Throughout history Polish people have travelled around the world, sometimes to find a better life in other countries.

10. The Polish currency is the  zloty (which means golden).

Start your child on a learning programme today!

• Weekly English, maths & science worksheets direct to your inbox
• Follows the National Curriculum
• Keeps your child's learning on track

Did you know?

Poland is the fourth-most-forested country in Europe. Bialowieza Forest, in the east of Poland, is one of the last remaining parts of the huge lowland forest that once stretched across the European Plain. The Forest is home to Europe’s largest bison population.

The peak of Rysy in the Tatra Mountains is the highest point in Poland at 2499m (8199ft).

Krakow, Poland's original capital, was supposedly named after a brave man called Krak. According to an old legend, a dragon called Smok once lived in the area and liked to eat people. Krak put out the dragon's fire and the town was named in his honour.

The national symbol of Poland is a white eagle.

Famous Poles include Nicolaus Copernicus (a scientist known as the "father of astronomy"), Frederic Chopin, a great composer of classical music, and the scientist Marie Curie, most famous for discovering radium.

One of Poland's major tourist attractions, the Wieliczka salt mine, contains an underground town including a café, a church, a tennic court, a health clinic and a theatre! All the rooms are carved from salt. The salt mine produced table salt from the 13th century until 2007 and now welcomes more than a million tourists a year.

In the winter temperatures in Poland can drop to below -20° C and snow can lie on the ground for 60-70 days!

Poland is the most important bird breeding ground in Europe and more white storks nest in Poland than anywhere else in the world.

The number of Polish-born UK residents was estimated at 911,000 in 2016, making them the UK's largest foreign-born community. During WWII a large number of Polish people lived in the British Isles, making a large contribution to the war effort, and many of them settled in the UK after the war.

In Poland it is common for people to take off their shoes when they visit someone's home. They might be offered guest slippers to wear!

Look through the pictures in the gallery and see if you can spot the following:

• The beautiful buildings in Gdansk old town
• 13th-century Malbork Castle
• The Polish flag colours
• Wrocław is the largest city in Western Poland
• The Tatra mountains between Poland and Slovakia
• A monastery building
• Warsaw old town
• The Baltic sea on Poland's coast
• Krakow Cathedral
• A lake in Poland
• Gdansk cityscape
• The snowy mountains of Poland

Poland is a large European country with a population of almost 40 million.

The Baltic coastline forms the northern border, with the Carpathian mountains in the far south adjoining Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Ukraine. Germany lies to the west whilst Belarus, Lithuania and Kalingrad are to the north east border. The present capital is Warsaw, which is also the largest city in the country.

Poland's geographical location means it suffered invasions and wars throughout history.

The name Poland existed as far back as the year 966; the Kingdom of Poland was founded shortly after in 1025. In the 1600s Poland was invaded by Sweden. In the 1700s Polish lands were split between Russia, Prussia and Austria. In 1918, at the end of World War I , Poland became independent again.

World War II started when Nazi Germany invaded Poland in 1939. During the war Poland was under Nazi and Soviet rule and millions of people were sent to labour camps and to Nazi concentration camps . Auschwitz, a small town in Poland, became the location of several concentration camps. During World War II millions of Jewish Polish people died in concentration camps alongside other Poles. There was also huge loss of life in 1944's Warsaw uprising, when Poles fought to free their country but were invaded by Soviet forces. During WWII a Polish government-in-exile operated in London.

After the war, Poland became a Communist country for 40 years. The word communism comes from the Latin word 'communis' which means 'common' or 'shared'. In a communist country, everyone is supposed to share everything that they create and earn.

Poland became a fully-democratic nation in 1990 , when Lech Walesa was elected President. He was a ship worker from Gdansk who had been the leader of the Solidarity trade union and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.

Although six out of every ten people in Poland live in cities, more than half the land in Poland is used for farming; the main crops are grain, sugar beets, potatoes and cabbages. Pigs and cows are raised on farms, too. Poland is also the European capital of horse breeding – people come to Poland from all over the world to buy horses.

Christmas Eve and Easter are the two most important holidays in Poland. 

Christmas is celebrated on 24 December in Poland. It is called Wigilia and celebrates the birth of Jesus.  Families gather to eat together after the first star has been spotted in the sky, and Christmas dinner consists of a feast of twelve dishes that include fish but not meat. It is traditional to have an even number of guests and people usually lay an extra place at their table in case an extra guest arrives!

The Polish celebrate Easter by dyeing and painting eggs and enjoying an elaborate family meal. A chocolate or caramel-filled cake called mazurek is an Easter tradition. The day after Easter is a children's holiday called śmingus-dingus , in which children splash water on each other for good luck!

Traditional Polish clothing is very colourful and decorative. Women wear long skirts with large flowers and ribbons and plaits in their hair while men wear white jackets embroidered with coloured flowers (though today these kind of outfits are only worn for cultural festivals). Traditional celebrations often include music like the polonaise and dances like the mazurka and the polka. Another traditional skill is paper cutting, wycinanki  – Polish people have been decorating their homes with paper cut-outs for hundreds of years.

Traditional Polish foods include bigos (a stew made of sausages, cabbage and mushrooms), pierogi dumplings (stuffed with meat, mushrooms, cheese or fruit) and borscht soup (made with beetroot). Ice cream, known as lody , is a very popular dessert and there are lody shops in every city.

In terms of weather, January is Poland's coldest month with wide areas covered in snow. July is the hottest month and most of the rain falls in the summer.

Related Videos

Just for fun...

Learn Polish with Fun Kids language videos

Watch a BBC Newsround presenter try to speak Polish (not very successfully!)

Fill your kitchen with the smells and flavours of Polish food , bigos stew and pierogi

Polish-themed colouring : maps, crops and animals

Download some Polish flag printables

Try some paper-cutting and corn flower crafts (the corn flower is the national flower of Poland)

Make some  Polish Gwiazdy (paper stars)

Find out about  wycinanki (Polish folk art) and have a go at your own designs

Best books for children about Poland

Find out more

Look through the Poland Facts for Kids in the Kiddle Encyclopedia

Read about Poland in the Encyclopedia Britannica's guide

Interviews with Polish children about their daily life in the cities of Poznan and Torun

Listen to a Penguin Explorers podcast about Poland

Fun facts about Poland for kids

Download the British Council's kids' information and activity pack about Poland

Lots of information about Polish Christmas traditions

See for yourself

Read the Lonely Planet guide to travelling in Poland

Find out about some family-friendly tourist attractions in Poland

Look through the gallery of images of the amazing Wieliczka Saltmine

An overview of Polish tourist attractions

Fourteen places in Poland are on the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage list

Give your child a headstart

• FREE articles & expert information
• FREE resources & activities
• FREE homework help

Welcome to ChildFun…where Play and Learning go Hand in Hand

Home » Articles » General » Interesting Poland Facts for Kids

Interesting Poland Facts for Kids

Did you know that the Polish language has been around for hundreds of years, and that it first originated from a much older language we call Old Polish?

Did you know that the name of the polka dance means “polish woman”, but that the dance was actually invented somewhere else other than Poland?

Here are some of the most interesting Poland facts for kids.

What Is Poland Famous For?

Poland is famous for being one of the world’s art and culture capitals.

A lot of the world’s art is located in Poland, and several museums in Warsaw host some of the world’s most famous art.

Poland is famous for its mindsports competitions, with regular chess and bridge competitions hosted in Poland and an very active gaming scene.

Poland is also very well known for its food, including the famous pierogi, which has achieved international fame – and it’s one of the most common pastries you’ll find in bakeries all over the world these days, all thanks to Poland!

Oh, and Poland is also famous for its incredible architecture.

There are more than 500 old castles in Poland, many of them open to public viewing as historical sites.

There’s even more that makes Poland special: Polish beer is some of the most famous beer in Europe thanks to expert brewers located all over the Polish country.

If you want to know what Poland is most famous for, you’ll have to pick any one of them, because Poland is very famous for a whole lot of great things, inventions and accomplishments!

Fun Facts About Polish Language

The Polish we know today derived from a much older language that was known as Old Polish. Modern Polish only emerged around the 10 th Century, and very few people still speak Old Polish today.

There are about 55 million different Polish speakers in the world, if you include both those who speak it as a native and second language.

Poland is the official language of Poland, together with English.

The first Polish wasn’t written down, but existed mostly as a spoken language that was taught from one person to the next. Polish was eventually put down in writing when it adopted the Latin alphabet, a move that was mostly attributed to the rise of Christianity in Europe at more or less the same time.

The Polish alphabet contains several letter combinations that you don’t see in English (or most other languages) that often, including cz and sz.

If you like, you can set anything from your Google to your Facebook display to the Polish language. Unfortunately, you might have trouble changing it back if you don’t speak any Polish!

Fun Facts About Poland Food

One of the most famous Polish dishes is called pierogi, a famous stuffed pie bite that has achieved international fame in the past few years – and now, you can find it in most bakeries all over the world. For the best pierogi, you’ll still have to go to Poland where it comes from!

Other traditional Polish dishes includes bigos, which is best described as a type of meat stew.

A lot of the traditional Polish diet is based around meat, potatoes and cabbage – and you won’t believe how many traditional Polish recipes call for these three ingredients!

Oh, and if you were wondering, bigos is the official national dish of Poland.

Interesting Facts About Poland Culture

Polish culture is a combination of many things, including food and music that you will only find in Poland and its cities.

Chopin-Hop is one of the most famous Polish bands, known for combining classical music, Polish tradition and hip-hop all in the same album.

One of the world’s most famous astronomers, Copernicus, was born in Poland.

Poland is the capital of the world’s amber exports, and most of the world’s amber jewelry has been made out of pieces that came from Poland.

While many people wouldn’t agree with this statement, they would be wrong – and traditional vodka actually comes from Poland!

The Palace of Culture and Science, located in Warsaw, has more than 3, 000 different rooms – and it’s one of the largest state buildings there are.

The polka dance isn’t Polish, but actually started in Bohemia.

Weird Facts About Poland

Poland must be the birthplace of the smart: 17 different Nobel Prize winners were born in Poland.

Poland is 9 th largest country in Europe.

A lot of Polish dishes include fermented vegetables, much like Korean kimchi.

When going into a Polish household, it’s a tradition to remove your shoes – just like in Japan.

Other Fun Facts About Poland

According to statistics, the population of Poland was more than 38 million people as of 2022.

Warsaw is the largest city in Poland and has a population of approximately 1.8 million people.

Poland is bigger than both Italy and the United Kingdom.

More than 90% of Poland calls themselves Roman Catholic.

Poland’s first democratic elections took place in 1989.

Related Posts:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Kids Food Atlas

A tasty way to learn geography

Located in the northern part of Eastern Europe, Poland’s cuisine is a blend of traditional dishes mixed with influences from neighboring countries. Grab your kids and let’s learn about Poland!

QUICK STATS

Centrally situated on Europe’s peninsula. Bordered by Ukraine and Belarus on the East, Czech Republic and Slovakia to the South, Germany on the Western border, and Lithuania to the Northeast.

A brief history for kids to learn about Poland

In the early centuries AD, there were many tribes living on what would later become Polish soil. Among them were Celtic, Baltic, and Germanic people groups. 

Slavic tribes arrived around the 6 th century (500s AD), and of those, the Polania tribe eventually became the most dominant in the region.

Historians believe the leader of that tribe, Piast, united the tribes and named the land Polska. However, it was not until the year 966 when the ruler, Duke Miesko I, converted to Christianity, that the Polish nation was officially recognized.

In 1569, Poland signed the Union of Lublin with the Duchy of Lithuania, forming the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This became one of the earliest recorded constitutional representative governments in Europe. 

In the late 18 th century (1700s AD), Poland was unable to withstand invading armies of the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Prussia, and Austria. As a result, those three countries partitioned Poland’s land between them. By the end of the First World War, Poland was finally able to win independence from these powers. 

It sustained that independence as the Second Republic of Poland until the Nazis invaded in 1939. Though the Polish contributed to the Allies’ victory in WWII, they did not experience the same freedom. The Red Army annexed Poland as a Soviet state. 

Finally, in the late 1980s, the Polish were able to negotiate with the communist government and take radical steps to restructure. As a result, the modern-day Republic of Poland was born. The democratic government formed during this era of change still exists today.

Fun facts about Poland for kids

• There are 32 letters in the Polish alphabet.
• Europe’s heaviest animals live in Poland.
• The Polish celebrate the day after Easter Sunday as Smigus Dyngus, or Wet Monday. All throughout the day, people throw large amounts of water at one another in the street.

Polish food

The Polish diet is heavy in meat and proteins and features abundant use of cabbage, mushrooms, and root vegetables.

Some popular dishes are entwined with Catholic celebrations, and others simply evolved from an abundance of local ingredients.

What do the Polish eat? Mealtime in Poland.

Polish people eat four to five meals every day. There is no real lunch in Poland, but rather a very substantial “dinner” in the midafternoon followed by a lighter and less involved “supper” served later on in the evening.

Breakfast ( sniadanie )

The Polish generally eat breakfast whenever they wake up, usually, around 8 am. The meal consists of meat or eggs and often dairy, like cheese or kefir (a fermented dairy drink). They may serve pastries, like nalesniki , which are delicate Polish pancakes, similar to a crepe.

Morning Snack ( drugie sniadanie )

Quite literally, ‘second breakfast’. The Polish usually eat this around 10:30 to 11 am. It is a smaller meal and is often eaten on the go in the midst of a workday or by children during school hours. As such, people usually enjoy foods that are easy to carry, like hard-boiled eggs, smoked sausage, or sandwiches.

In Poland, they often serve sandwiches open-faced (like zapikanka or kanapka ), with either eggs, sliced meat, or sausage, like kielbasa. They often top them with salatka (salad) of cucumber or cabbage. These sandwiches are so popular that street vendors serve them from small hut-style restaurants in urban areas.

Dinner ( obiad )

This is the most substantial and important meal of the day. The Polish typically serve dinner in three courses. And it takes place between noon and 4 pm. 

Usually, it begins with a soup, like a tomato, borscht (beet), rosol (broth), or zur (sour rye soup). Then they serve a side dish, consisting of salad, cooked vegetables, or pierogi (dumplings filled with potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms, or meat). 

The main course would be next. This is a hot and hearty dish like golabki (cabbage rolls) or meat stew. Bigos is a traditional favorite stew made of sausage and sauerkraut. Another is gulasz , a stew of meat, vegetables, noodles, and spices.

Supper ( kolacja )

Supper is eaten later in the evening, from 5:30 to 8 pm. This is a lighter, smaller meal where the sandwich often makes an appearance again. Cold meats, cheeses, and vegetables are often a part of this evening meal. 

They may serve cabbage rolls or soups but generally in smaller portions than midday obiad .

Food etiquette in Poland

The Polish consider lateness to a dinner party extremely rude, and they expect that a guest would arrive early. 

When one would greet the host and fellow guests, he or she should be careful to keep his hands out of his pockets. This is also considered impolite when speaking to anyone.

In Poland, it is common courtesy for no one to begin eating until everyone is seated and has food on their plates. The host of a dinner party signals the time to start eating by saying “Smacznego !”. 

While eating a meal in Poland, one would keep their knife in the right hand, and the fork always in the left. Oftentimes spoons are missing from the place setting entirely. If this is the case when the soup is served, one simply lifts the bowl to his mouth and drinks it.

Polish food by region

Poland is generally divided into 16 provinces. Each region has its own characteristics and cuisine. If you’re learning about Poland with kids, it may be helpful to take a look at a few or divide the country into more general regions. We have taken a look at a few below.

Pomorze and Kaszuby (Pomerania and Kashubia)

In this region located on the seaside, many dishes include fish, especially herring which the people love pickled in vinegar. Kashubian fish soup with lemon juice and vegetables is also very popular.

Podlasie (Podlachia)

On the Eastern side of Poland, Podlachian dishes are heavily influenced by Lithuania and west Ukraine nearby. The dishes heavily feature mushrooms and also potatoes. They commonly serve potato dumplings, stuffed with meat.

Here they make some abundant forest fruits into drinks with boiled sugar water, called kompot .

Wielkopolska (Greater Poland)

On the western side of Poland, potatoes are a dietary staple. The most famous dish is a potato dumpling filled with meat and sauce, known as pyzy . 

Holidays in Poland

Discussing holidays is a great way for kids to learn about Poland. Some may be familiar, but the way they celebrate them may be new. Maybe you can find a new tradition for your family!

Independence Day ( Narodowe Święto Niepodległości, November 11)

On November 11, Poland commemorates its independence from the German, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian empires. The Polish celebrate this day with parades and parties, and bakeries make traditional St. Martin’s croissants. These consist of puff pastry and poppy seeds and are generally served glazed.

Christmas ( Boże Narodzenie, December 25)

Christmas is a very important holiday to the Polish people. On Christmas Eve ( Wigilia ), families traditionally make twelve dishes that they will eat after the evening Mass. They make these dishes to satisfy superstition, so there will not be a shortage of any of the foods in the coming year. 

While some of the twelve may vary from household to household, they nearly always serve carp, as well as mushroom and cabbage pierogi. Borscht with mushroom dumplings ( barszcz czerwone ) is among the common Christmas dishes. As is challah and delicious sernik , a polish cheesecake. Most importantly, they share the oplatek wafer among everyone at the table as a sign of reconciliation and forgiveness.

Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday ( Ostatki, date varies)

Elegant balls in the city and wealthy areas, or big parties in the countryside, have historically been part of the Polish carnival season. While the cuisine varies somewhat by gathering, jelly-filled donuts called paczki are always present.

Easter ( Pascha , date varies)

Most of Poland’s population identifies as Roman Catholic, and as such the day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the biggest Holiday of the year.

Before Easter arrives, many families prepare an Easter basket. Families fill these baskets with butter, meat and grains, and eggs (called pisanki ). They boil the eggs and decorate them first with colored dyes made from onion skin and rhubarb, and then with intricate designs. The family takes the basket to the church to have it blessed by the Priest. 

On Easter Sunday, families serve a big meal of meat, sausages, white borscht soup, babka cake, and the blessed eggs.

The day after Easter is also a family holiday, known as Wet Monday. People run through the streets pouring water on each other!

At-home ideas for kids to learn about Poland

As a part of your homeschool Poland unit study or as a supplement to your child’s Poland unit at school, try some of these ideas at home!

• Make your own dyes from onion skin, beets, or cabbage, and dye hard-boiled eggs.  Or you can print up Easter egg templates and try your hand at drawing some of the intricate traditional designs.
• Learn to make nalesniki or Polish apple pancakes and have a Polish breakfast.
• Have your own Wet Monday celebration and bring the neighbors over for a fun afternoon of water wars!
• Use Language Drops to learn a few words in Polish or Word Hippo to look up the pronunciation of specific words.

Let us help you discover one country at a time.

Learn about the world in a way that kids can really connect with - through food! Whether you are looking for homeschool geography resources or geography activities to supplement classroom work, you will find fun ideas here!

We are in the process of adding countries to this resource. By signing up for our email newsletter, you will be notified when new countries are added.

JOIN OUR ADVENTURE

Get excited about geography.

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

Reader Interactions

Have a question/comment cancel reply.

Helpful comments include feedback on the recipe or changes you made.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• North America
• South America
• Privacy Policy

• 50 US States

50 Interesting Facts About Poland

Last updated on March 25th, 2022

A nation with a complex history, a unique culture and way of life, as well as significant achievement, Poland is perhaps one of the most interesting countries in Europe and across the world. Below, we explore 50 interesting facts about Poland.

1. Of the 44 countries in Europe (Russia included), Poland ranks as the 9th largest in size. Excluding Russia, Poland ranks as the 8th largest country in Europe.

2. Compared with the rest of the world, Poland is the 63 rd largest country in the world.

3. The name “Poland” (called “Polska” in Polish) is derived from the tribe name Polanie. The word Polanie means ‘people living in open fields.’

4. Poland is the second country in the world to develop a constitution. Poland’s first written constitution was adopted in 1791 during the Spring.

5. As intimated prior, Poland’s history is a complex one. As such, even though Poland was the second country in the world to develop its constitution, this document was only functional for a period of only 14 months and three weeks.

6. Poland spent over 100 years of its history in partitions and territorial wars. The reality of territorial wars is exactly why Poland’s first constitution was so short-lived in effect.

7. Poland’s constitution is not the nation state’s only brush with pioneering achievements. Polish engineer Ignacy Lukasiewicz is credited with inventing the modern kerosene street lamp. This invention is still used on a street in Warsaw until this day and was first used in Lviv Ukraine.

8. The city of Warsaw was almost completely destroyed during World War 2 and was rebuilt after World War 2.

9. Warsaw was rebuilt using Bernardo Bellotto’s 14th century paintings as a visual guide for the look and feel of the town. It is for this reason that the town today looks like it did in the 14th century versus a 20th century town (which is the time period during which it was rebuilt).

Poland on map

10. Born Marie Sklodowska, Marie Curie (the first woman to be credited with winning a Nobel Peace Prize) is of Polish heritage and not French. For all intents and purposes she became French through marriage to Pierre Curie.

11. Like Marie Curie, noted novelist Joseph Conrad is Polish in his heritage. His given name was Teodor Jozef Konrad Nalecz-Korzeniowski.

12. Poland is home to a whopping 16 World Heritage Sites.

13. The Polish landscape is very diverse in nature. The landscape is rich with beaches, mountains, deserts, lakes, and forests, including mountain chains and almost 800 km of the seashore.

14. Further adding to its diverse natural landscape, Poland is home to the only desert located in Central Europe. This desert is named Pustynia Bledowska.

15. The Pomerania region of Poland is home to the dunes which are among the most popular tourist hot spots. Other popular attractions include islands and wetlands in the Wolinksi National Park and Bierbrzanski National Park, respectively.

Flag of Poland

16. Traditionally, Polish last names end with ski/ska or cka/cki, depending on the sex of the individual. For example, the daughter of Mr. Kowalski will be referred to as Miss Kowalska.

17. Measuring 646.38 meters (approximately 2,120.7 feet) and before its collapse in 1991, the Warsaw radio mast (located in Konstantynow) was the world’s tallest structure. After the Burj Khalifa which was completed in 2010, the Warsaw radio mast became the second largest structure ever built.

18. Speaking of the tallest, Poland is also home to the Malbork which is officially the biggest castle in the world as measured by single area.

19. Be it inside a church, someone’s home, or other building, the older generation of Polish natives find it rude to wear a hat indoors. The younger generation is a lot more open, however, and do not hold tightly to this behavior as a sign of disrespect.

20. While today’s generation of Poles may hold loosely to some habits and traditions, chivalry is still observed and viewed in primarily traditional ways. Kissing a woman’s hand, for example, is still popularly observed. Polish men will do this even upon the first introduction.

21. A ‘water war’ is a thing that’s observed on Easter Monday in Poland. Known as Smigus Dynus, Easter Monday is that day of the year when boys and girls play fight using a mixture of water guns, buckets, and pussy willow branches.

22. In Poland, the names of Saints are associated with days in the calendar. This is done to facilitate a tradition known as name day.

23. Name days (also known as imieniny) are celebrated with the same amount of fanfare and even more reverence than birthdays. Name day is the day commemorating the Saint that one is named after.

24. Foreign movies are dubbed on Polish TV. This is nothing strange really, except that the voice-overs for all the actors and parts is done by one single man reading all the parts.

25. As if having a man read all the parts of a movie (including the parts of women and children) is not weird enough, it is also true that you are likely to hear the first few seconds of the original sound each time a character begins to speak, as well as continue to hear the original sound faintly in the background.

26. Picking wild mushrooms at the end of summer is a popular family activity for Poles. This activity is used to teach children to differentiate between edible and poisonous mushrooms.

27. White lilies, chrysanthemums, and red carnations are reserved exclusively for use during funerals and should not be purchased for any other occasion.

28. When purchasing floral arrangements for a funeral, it is important to remember not to purchase an even number amount. This is considered an absolute no-no.

29. Opened in 1275, the Piwnica Swidnicka is the oldest restaurant in Europe. The same is located in Wroclaw, Poland.

30. At the Piwnica Swidnicka and other popular restaurants, popular Polish foods like the Zapiekanka can be enjoyed. The Zapiekanka is considered an unofficial traditional food and can be likened to an American ‘sub’ sandwich. It is made from half a baguette and is topped with garlic, ketchup, mayo, mushrooms, and cheese.

31. The Polish man Julius Fromm invented the first latex condom.

32. Although invented so long ago and by one of their own, contraceptives like the latex condom are still a hot topic discussion for Polish politicians.

33. Although much of Europe is secular in its expression today, Poland is still one of the continent’s most religious countries. Catholic TV and radio are very popular across the country.

34. As popular as religion is in Poland (particularly the Catholic religion), it is hardly surprising that there is no real separation of church and state in Poland.

35. Still on the topic of religion, Poland is home to the tallest Jesus statue in the world. This is perhaps the Poles’ most treasured achievement among their other ‘tallest’ and ‘biggest’ achievements.

36. Unlike the rest of the world that celebrates Valentine’s Day on February 14 each year, Poland has its own special day of love. Valentine’s Day (or Kupala or Wianki as it is also called) is celebrated on Summer Solstice. That is, on June 21 of each year.

. . . continue reading on the next page

• Privacy Policy
• Legal Disclaimer
• Report Error

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Poland’s kids rejoice over new rules against homework. Teachers and parents aren’t so sure

Ola Kozak, 11, sits at the table where she used to do her homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday April 5, 2024. Ola is happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. Julian enjoyed doing his homework. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Arkadiusz Korporowicz teaches history to 5th grade children at Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Pawel Kozak and his wife Magda Kozak, parents of three, stand at their home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. They have different opinions on the decision by Poland’s government that ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Children enter a classroom at the Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Julian Kozak, 9, sits at the table where he used to do his homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, on Friday April 5, 2024. Julian is not very happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Ola Kozak, 11, right, and her younger brother Julian Kozak, 9, sit at the table where they used to do their homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday April 5, 2024. Ola is happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. Julian enjoyed doing his homework. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Poland’s Education Minister Barbara Nowacka announces restrictions on the amount of homework for primary school children, at school number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Opinions are divided on what results can be expected from the strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Pawel Kozak, father of three, speaks at his home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Pawel and her wife Magda have different opinions on the decision by Poland’s government that ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Magda Kozak, mother of three, stands at her home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Magda and her husband Pawel have different opinions on the decision by Poland’s government that ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Julian Kozak, 9, sits at the table where he used to do his homework at the family home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Julian is not very happy that Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Magda Kozak, right, spends time with her son Julian, 9, at their home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Neither of them is happy that starting in April, Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Children walk in the corridor of Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Children with flowers wait for the arrival of Education Minister Barbara Nowacka at Primary School number 223 in Warsaw, Poland, Wednesday April 3, 2024. Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades, starting in April. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Julian Kozak, 9, plays with his cat at their home in Warsaw, Poland, Friday, April 5, 2024. Starting in April, Poland’s government has ordered strict limits on the amount of homework that teachers can impose on the lower grades. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

• Copy Link copied

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Ola Kozak is celebrating. The 11-year-old, who loves music and drawing, expects to have more free time for her hobbies after Poland’s government ordered strict limits on the amount of homework in the lower grades.

“I am happy,” said the fifth grader, who lives in a Warsaw suburb with her parents and younger siblings. The lilac-colored walls in her bedroom are covered in her art, and on her desk she keeps a framed picture she drew of Kurt Cobain.

“Most people in my class in the morning would copy the work off someone who had done the homework or would copy it from the internet. So it didn’t make sense,” she said.

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk enacted the ban against required homework this month amid a broad discussion about the need to modernize Poland’s education system, which critics say puts too much emphasis on rote learning and homework, and not enough on critical thinking and creativity.

Under the decree, teachers are no longer to give required homework to kids in the first to third grades. In grades four to eight, homework is now optional and doesn’t count towards a grade.

Not everyone likes the change – and even Ola’s parents are divided.

“If there is something that will make students enjoy school more, then it will probably be good both for the students and for the school,” said her father, Pawel Kozak.

His wife, Magda Kozak, was skeptical. “I am not pleased, because (homework) is a way to consolidate what was learned,” she said. “It helps stay on top of what the child has really learned and what’s going on at school.”

(Ola’s brother Julian, a third grader, says he sees both sides.)

Debates over the proper amount of homework are common around the globe. While some studies have shown little benefit to homework for young learners, other experts say it can help them learn how to develop study habits and academic concepts.

Poland’s educational system has undergone a number of controversial overhauls. Almost every new government has tried to make changes — something many teachers and parents say has left them confused and discouraged. For example, after communism was thrown off, middle schools were introduced. Then under the last government, the previous system was brought back. More controversy came in recent years when ultra-conservative views were pushed in new textbooks.

For years, teachers have been fleeing the system due to low wages and political pressure. The current government is trying to increase teacher salaries and has promised other changes that teachers approve of.

But Sławomir Broniarz, the head of the Polish Teachers’ Union, said that while he recognized the need to ease burdens on students, the new homework rules are another case of change imposed from above without adequate consultation with educators.

“In general, the teachers think that this happened too quickly, too hastily,” he said.

He argued that removing homework could widen the educational gaps between kids who have strong support at home and those from poorer families with less support and lower expectations. Instead, he urged wider changes to the entire curriculum.

The homework rules gained impetus in the runup to parliamentary elections last year, when a 14-year-old boy, Maciek Matuszewski, stood up at a campaign rally and told Tusk before a national audience that children “had no time to rest.” The boy said their rights were being violated with so much homework on weekends and so many tests on Mondays.

Tusk has since featured Matuszewski in social media videos and made him the face of the sudden change.

Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said she was prompted by research on children’s mental health. Of the various stresses children face, she said, “the one that could be removed fastest was the burden of homework.”

Pasi Sahlberg, a prominent Finnish educator and author, said the value of homework depends on what it is and how it is linked to overall learning. The need for homework can be “very individual and contextual.”

“We need to trust our teachers to decide what is good for each child,” Sahlberg said.

In South Korea, homework limits were set for elementary schools in 2017 amid concerns that kids were under too much pressure. However, teenagers in the education-obsessed country often cram long into the night and get tutoring to meet the requirements of demanding school and university admission tests.

In the U.S., teachers and parents decide for themselves how much homework to assign. Some elementary schools have done away with homework entirely to give children more time to play, participate in activities and spend time with families.

A guideline circulated by teachers unions in the U.S. recommends about 10 minutes of homework per grade. So, 10 minutes in first grade, 20 minutes in second grade and so on.

The COVID-19 pandemic and a crisis around youth mental health have complicated debates around homework. In the U.S., extended school closures in some places were accompanied by steep losses in learning , which were often addressed with tutoring and other interventions paid for with federal pandemic relief money. At the same time, increased attention to student wellbeing led some teachers to consider alternate approaches including reduced or optional homework.

It’s important for children to learn that mastering something “usually requires practice, a lot of practice,” said Sahlberg, in Finland. If reducing homework leads kids and parents to think school expectations for excellence will be lowered, “things will go wrong.”

AP writers Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, Michael Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed.

June 10, 2024

Winnipeg 21° C , Cloudy with wind

Full Forecast

• Advertising Contact
• Send a Letter to the Editor
• Staff biographies
• Submit a News Tip
• Subscribe to Newsletters
• Notifications
• Create Account
• Compact View
• About the E-Edition
• Winnipeg Free Press
• Community Review East
• Community Review West
• All Arts & Life
• Celebrities
• Environment
• Food & Drink
• Life & Style
• Science & Technology
• All Business
• Agriculture
• Personal Finance
• Manitoba’s Top Employers
• All Opinion
• Editorial Cartoon
• Letters to the Editor
• Auto Racing
• Blue Bombers
• High School
• Horse Racing
• Winnipeg Jets
• Manitoba Moose
• Reader Bridge
• Free Press 101: How we practise journalism
• Advertising
• Carrier Positions & Retailer Requests
• FP Newspapers Inc.
• Internships
• Job Opportunities
• Local Journalism Initiative
• Retail Locations
• Staff Biographies
• Terms and Conditions
• Online Casinos
• New Online Casinos
• Sports Betting Sites
• Sports Betting Apps
• All Free Press Community Review News
• East Edition
• West Edition
• Classifieds
• All FP Features
• Business Hub
• Drink & Dine
• Health & Wellness
• Whiskers & Wings
• Sponsored Articles
• Credit Cards
• Credit Score
• Personal Loans
• Real Estate
• Side Hustles
• Property Listings
• Featured News
• Renovation and design
• Resale homes
• Newsletters
• Niigaan and the Lone Ranger
• Photo and Book store
• Become a Patron
• Privacy Policy

© 2024 Winnipeg Free Press

Quick Links

• Publications
• Sponsored Content
• Employee Code of Conduct Policy
• Supplier Code of Conduct Policy
• Report on Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains

Ways to support us

• Pay it Forward program
• Support Faith coverage
• Support Arts coverage

Replica E-Edition

Arts & Life

• Photo Galleries

Canstar Community news

• All Betting

Notification Settings

This browser doesn't support push notifications at the moment. Check browsers features, update your browser or try to use one from the list of recommended to manage your notifications settings:

• Firefox (27+)
• Google Chrome (30+)
• Safari ( MacOS 13+ with browser 16.1+ and iOS 16.4+ ) / Note make sure Push API support enabled under Settings > Safari > Advanced > Experimental Features
• Microsoft Edge

If you wish to manage your notification settings from this browser you will need to update your browser's settings for this site. Just click button below and allow notifications for this site

Note Safari 16.4+ working on iOS devices also need this site app to be installed at device's Home Screen for Push Notifications to work

Notifications are blocked for this site. If you wish to manage your notification settings from this browser you will need to update your browser's settings. Usually you'd need to click on site options icon to the left of address bar and change notifications preferences/permissions from there

Breaking News

Urgent and important stories

Recommended Reads

Noteworthy news and features

Advertisement

Learn more about Free Press Advertising solutions

Poland’s kids rejoice over new rules against homework. Teachers and parents aren’t so sure

Advertise with us

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Ola Kozak is celebrating. The 11-year-old, who loves music and drawing, expects to have more free time for her hobbies after Poland’s government ordered strict limits on the amount of homework in the lower grades.

Read this article for free:

Already have an account? Log in here »

To continue reading, please subscribe:

Monthly Digital Subscription

$19 $0 for the first 4 weeks *

• Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
• Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
• Access News Break, our award-winning app
• Play interactive puzzles

*No charge for 4 weeks then billed as $19 every four weeks (new subscribers and qualified returning subscribers only). Cancel anytime.

Read unlimited articles for free today:

“I am happy,” said the fifth grader, who lives in a Warsaw suburb with her parents and younger siblings. The lilac-colored walls in her bedroom are covered in her art, and on her desk she keeps a framed picture she drew of Kurt Cobain.

“Most people in my class in the morning would copy the work off someone who had done the homework or would copy it from the internet. So it didn’t make sense,” she said.

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk enacted the ban against required homework this month amid a broad discussion about the need to modernize Poland’s education system, which critics say puts too much emphasis on rote learning and homework, and not enough on critical thinking and creativity.

Under the decree, teachers are no longer to give required homework to kids in the first to third grades. In grades four to eight, homework is now optional and doesn’t count towards a grade.

Not everyone likes the change – and even Ola’s parents are divided.

“If there is something that will make students enjoy school more, then it will probably be good both for the students and for the school,” said her father, Pawel Kozak.

His wife, Magda Kozak, was skeptical. “I am not pleased, because (homework) is a way to consolidate what was learned,” she said. “It helps stay on top of what the child has really learned and what’s going on at school.”

(Ola’s brother Julian, a third grader, says he sees both sides.)

Debates over the proper amount of homework are common around the globe. While some studies have shown little benefit to homework for young learners, other experts say it can help them learn how to develop study habits and academic concepts.

Poland’s educational system has undergone a number of controversial overhauls. Almost every new government has tried to make changes — something many teachers and parents say has left them confused and discouraged. For example, after communism was thrown off, middle schools were introduced. Then under the last government, the previous system was brought back. More controversy came in recent years when ultra-conservative views were pushed in new textbooks.

For years, teachers have been fleeing the system due to low wages and political pressure. The current government is trying to increase teacher salaries and has promised other changes that teachers approve of.

But Sławomir Broniarz, the head of the Polish Teachers’ Union, said that while he recognized the need to ease burdens on students, the new homework rules are another case of change imposed from above without adequate consultation with educators.

“In general, the teachers think that this happened too quickly, too hastily,” he said.

He argued that removing homework could widen the educational gaps between kids who have strong support at home and those from poorer families with less support and lower expectations. Instead, he urged wider changes to the entire curriculum.

The homework rules gained impetus in the runup to parliamentary elections last year, when a 14-year-old boy, Maciek Matuszewski, stood up at a campaign rally and told Tusk before a national audience that children “had no time to rest.” The boy said their rights were being violated with so much homework on weekends and so many tests on Mondays.

Tusk has since featured Matuszewski in social media videos and made him the face of the sudden change.

Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said she was prompted by research on children’s mental health. Of the various stresses children face, she said, “the one that could be removed fastest was the burden of homework.”

Pasi Sahlberg, a prominent Finnish educator and author, said the value of homework depends on what it is and how it is linked to overall learning. The need for homework can be “very individual and contextual.”

“We need to trust our teachers to decide what is good for each child,” Sahlberg said.

In South Korea, homework limits were set for elementary schools in 2017 amid concerns that kids were under too much pressure. However, teenagers in the education-obsessed country often cram long into the night and get tutoring to meet the requirements of demanding school and university admission tests.

In the U.S., teachers and parents decide for themselves how much homework to assign. Some elementary schools have done away with homework entirely to give children more time to play, participate in activities and spend time with families.

Business Weekly

Monday mornings

The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week.

A guideline circulated by teachers unions in the U.S. recommends about 10 minutes of homework per grade. So, 10 minutes in first grade, 20 minutes in second grade and so on.

The COVID-19 pandemic and a crisis around youth mental health have complicated debates around homework. In the U.S., extended school closures in some places were accompanied by steep losses in learning, which were often addressed with tutoring and other interventions paid for with federal pandemic relief money. At the same time, increased attention to student wellbeing led some teachers to consider alternate approaches including reduced or optional homework.

It’s important for children to learn that mastering something “usually requires practice, a lot of practice,” said Sahlberg, in Finland. If reducing homework leads kids and parents to think school expectations for excellence will be lowered, “things will go wrong.”

AP writers Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, Michael Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

Featured Local Savings

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My watchlist
• Stock market
• Biden economy
• Personal finance
• Stocks: most active
• Stocks: gainers
• Stocks: losers
• Trending tickers
• World indices
• US Treasury bonds
• Top mutual funds
• Highest open interest
• Highest implied volatility
• Currency converter
• Basic materials
• Communication services
• Consumer cyclical
• Consumer defensive
• Financial services
• Industrials
• Real estate
• Mutual funds
• Credit cards
• Balance transfer cards
• Cash back cards
• Rewards cards
• Travel cards
• Online checking
• High-yield savings
• Money market
• Home equity loan
• Personal loans
• Student loans
• Options pit
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Poland's kids rejoice over new rules against homework. Teachers and parents aren't so sure

Poland banning homework.

• Poland's government has enacted strict limits on homework in lower grades, making it optional for grades four to eight, in an effort to modernize the education system and promote critical thinking and creativity.
• The decision to reduce required homework has sparked debate among parents and educators in Poland, with some supporting the change as a way to make school more enjoyable for students, while others express concerns about the impact on learning and educational disparities.
• The move to limit homework in Poland reflects a broader global discussion on the role of homework in education, with varying approaches in different countries such as South Korea setting limits for elementary schools and some schools in the U.S. eliminating homework entirely to prioritize student well-being and family time.

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Ola Kozak is celebrating. The 11-year-old, who loves music and drawing, expects to have more free time for her hobbies after Poland’s government ordered strict limits on the amount of homework in the lower grades.

“I am happy,” said the fifth grader, who lives in a Warsaw suburb with her parents and younger siblings. The lilac-colored walls in her bedroom are covered in her art, and on her desk she keeps a framed picture she drew of Kurt Cobain.

“Most people in my class in the morning would copy the work off someone who had done the homework or would copy it from the internet. So it didn’t make sense,” she said.

The government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk enacted the ban against required homework this month amid a broad discussion about the need to modernize Poland's education system, which critics say puts too much emphasis on rote learning and homework, and not enough on critical thinking and creativity.

Under the decree, teachers are no longer to give required homework to kids in the first to third grades. In grades four to eight, homework is now optional and doesn't count towards a grade.

Not everyone likes the change – and even Ola’s parents are divided.

“If there is something that will make students enjoy school more, then it will probably be good both for the students and for the school,” said her father, Pawel Kozak.

His wife, Magda Kozak, was skeptical. “I am not pleased, because (homework) is a way to consolidate what was learned,” she said. “It helps stay on top of what the child has really learned and what’s going on at school.”

(Ola's brother Julian, a third grader, says he sees both sides.)

Debates over the proper amount of homework are common around the globe. While some studies have shown little benefit to homework for young learners, other experts say it can help them learn how to develop study habits and academic concepts.

Poland's educational system has undergone a number of controversial overhauls. Almost every new government has tried to make changes — something many teachers and parents say has left them confused and discouraged. For example, after communism was thrown off, middle schools were introduced. Then under the last government, the previous system was brought back. More controversy came in recent years when ultra-conservative views were pushed in new textbooks.

For years, teachers have been fleeing the system due to low wages and political pressure. The current government is trying to increase teacher salaries and has promised other changes that teachers approve of.

But Sławomir Broniarz, the head of the Polish Teachers' Union, said that while he recognized the need to ease burdens on students, the new homework rules are another case of change imposed from above without adequate consultation with educators.

“In general, the teachers think that this happened too quickly, too hastily,” he said.

He argued that removing homework could widen the educational gaps between kids who have strong support at home and those from poorer families with less support and lower expectations. Instead, he urged wider changes to the entire curriculum.

The homework rules gained impetus in the runup to parliamentary elections last year, when a 14-year-old boy, Maciek Matuszewski, stood up at a campaign rally and told Tusk before a national audience that children “had no time to rest.” The boy said their rights were being violated with so much homework on weekends and so many tests on Mondays.

Tusk has since featured Matuszewski in social media videos and made him the face of the sudden change.

Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said she was prompted by research on children’s mental health. Of the various stresses children face, she said, "the one that could be removed fastest was the burden of homework.”

Pasi Sahlberg, a prominent Finnish educator and author, said the value of homework depends on what it is and how it is linked to overall learning. The need for homework can be “very individual and contextual.”

“We need to trust our teachers to decide what is good for each child,” Sahlberg said.

In South Korea, homework limits were set for elementary schools in 2017 amid concerns that kids were under too much pressure. However, teenagers in the education-obsessed country often cram long into the night and get tutoring to meet the requirements of demanding school and university admission tests.

In the U.S., teachers and parents decide for themselves how much homework to assign. Some elementary schools have done away with homework entirely to give children more time to play, participate in activities and spend time with families.

A guideline circulated by teachers unions in the U.S. recommends about 10 minutes of homework per grade. So, 10 minutes in first grade, 20 minutes in second grade and so on.

The COVID-19 pandemic and a crisis around youth mental health have complicated debates around homework. In the U.S., extended school closures in some places were accompanied by steep losses in learning , which were often addressed with tutoring and other interventions paid for with federal pandemic relief money. At the same time, increased attention to student wellbeing led some teachers to consider alternate approaches including reduced or optional homework.

It's important for children to learn that mastering something "usually requires practice, a lot of practice,” said Sahlberg, in Finland. If reducing homework leads kids and parents to think school expectations for excellence will be lowered, “things will go wrong.”

AP writers Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, Michael Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed.

11 Surprising Homework Statistics, Facts & Data

The age-old question of whether homework is good or bad for students is unanswerable because there are so many “ it depends ” factors.

For example, it depends on the age of the child, the type of homework being assigned, and even the child’s needs.

There are also many conflicting reports on whether homework is good or bad. This is a topic that largely relies on data interpretation for the researcher to come to their conclusions.

To cut through some of the fog, below I’ve outlined some great homework statistics that can help us understand the effects of homework on children.

Homework Statistics List

1. 45% of parents think homework is too easy for their children.

A study by the Center for American Progress found that parents are almost twice as likely to believe their children’s homework is too easy than to disagree with that statement.

Here are the figures for math homework:

• 46% of parents think their child’s math homework is too easy.
• 25% of parents think their child’s math homework is not too easy.
• 29% of parents offered no opinion.

Here are the figures for language arts homework:

• 44% of parents think their child’s language arts homework is too easy.
• 28% of parents think their child’s language arts homework is not too easy.
• 28% of parents offered no opinion.

These findings are based on online surveys of 372 parents of school-aged children conducted in 2018.

2. 93% of Fourth Grade Children Worldwide are Assigned Homework

The prestigious worldwide math assessment Trends in International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) took a survey of worldwide homework trends in 2007. Their study concluded that 93% of fourth-grade children are regularly assigned homework, while just 7% never or rarely have homework assigned.

3. 17% of Teens Regularly Miss Homework due to Lack of High-Speed Internet Access

A 2018 Pew Research poll of 743 US teens found that 17%, or almost 2 in every 5 students, regularly struggled to complete homework because they didn’t have reliable access to the internet.

This figure rose to 25% of Black American teens and 24% of teens whose families have an income of less than $30,000 per year.

4. Parents Spend 6.7 Hours Per Week on their Children’s Homework

A 2018 study of 27,500 parents around the world found that the average amount of time parents spend on homework with their child is 6.7 hours per week. Furthermore, 25% of parents spend more than 7 hours per week on their child’s homework.

American parents spend slightly below average at 6.2 hours per week, while Indian parents spend 12 hours per week and Japanese parents spend 2.6 hours per week.

5. Students in High-Performing High Schools Spend on Average 3.1 Hours per night Doing Homework

A study by Galloway, Conner & Pope (2013) conducted a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California. 

Across these high-performing schools, students self-reported that they did 3.1 hours per night of homework.

Graduates from those schools also ended up going on to college 93% of the time.

6. One to Two Hours is the Optimal Duration for Homework

A 2012 peer-reviewed study in the High School Journal found that students who conducted between one and two hours achieved higher results in tests than any other group.

However, the authors were quick to highlight that this “t is an oversimplification of a much more complex problem.” I’m inclined to agree. The greater variable is likely the quality of the homework than time spent on it.

Nevertheless, one result was unequivocal: that some homework is better than none at all : “students who complete any amount of homework earn higher test scores than their peers who do not complete homework.”

7. 74% of Teens cite Homework as a Source of Stress

A study by the Better Sleep Council found that homework is a source of stress for 74% of students. Only school grades, at 75%, rated higher in the study.

That figure rises for girls, with 80% of girls citing homework as a source of stress.

Similarly, the study by Galloway, Conner & Pope (2013) found that 56% of students cite homework as a “primary stressor” in their lives.

8. US Teens Spend more than 15 Hours per Week on Homework

The same study by the Better Sleep Council also found that US teens spend over 2 hours per school night on homework, and overall this added up to over 15 hours per week.

Surprisingly, 4% of US teens say they do more than 6 hours of homework per night. That’s almost as much homework as there are hours in the school day.

The only activity that teens self-reported as doing more than homework was engaging in electronics, which included using phones, playing video games, and watching TV.

9. The 10-Minute Rule

The National Education Association (USA) endorses the concept of doing 10 minutes of homework per night per grade.

For example, if you are in 3rd grade, you should do 30 minutes of homework per night. If you are in 4th grade, you should do 40 minutes of homework per night.

However, this ‘rule’ appears not to be based in sound research. Nevertheless, it is true that homework benefits (no matter the quality of the homework) will likely wane after 2 hours (120 minutes) per night, which would be the NEA guidelines’ peak in grade 12.

10. 21.9% of Parents are Too Busy for their Children’s Homework

An online poll of nearly 300 parents found that 21.9% are too busy to review their children’s homework. On top of this, 31.6% of parents do not look at their children’s homework because their children do not want their help. For these parents, their children’s unwillingness to accept their support is a key source of frustration.

11. 46.5% of Parents find Homework too Hard

The same online poll of parents of children from grades 1 to 12 also found that many parents struggle to help their children with homework because parents find it confusing themselves. Unfortunately, the study did not ask the age of the students so more data is required here to get a full picture of the issue.

Get a Pdf of this article for class

Enjoy subscriber-only access to this article’s pdf

Interpreting the Data

Unfortunately, homework is one of those topics that can be interpreted by different people pursuing differing agendas. All studies of homework have a wide range of variables, such as:

• What age were the children in the study?
• What was the homework they were assigned?
• What tools were available to them?
• What were the cultural attitudes to homework and how did they impact the study?
• Is the study replicable?

The more questions we ask about the data, the more we realize that it’s hard to come to firm conclusions about the pros and cons of homework .

Furthermore, questions about the opportunity cost of homework remain. Even if homework is good for children’s test scores, is it worthwhile if the children consequently do less exercise or experience more stress?

Thus, this ends up becoming a largely qualitative exercise. If parents and teachers zoom in on an individual child’s needs, they’ll be able to more effectively understand how much homework a child needs as well as the type of homework they should be assigned.

Related: Funny Homework Excuses

The debate over whether homework should be banned will not be resolved with these homework statistics. But, these facts and figures can help you to pursue a position in a school debate on the topic – and with that, I hope your debate goes well and you develop some great debating skills!

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Self-Actualization Examples (Maslow's Hierarchy)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Forest Schools Philosophy & Curriculum, Explained!
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Montessori's 4 Planes of Development, Explained!
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ Montessori vs Reggio Emilia vs Steiner-Waldorf vs Froebel

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Life ›
• Family & Friends

Children in Poland - statistics & facts

Education and family relations, children's behavior and modern threats, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Most popular female first names for children in Poland 2023

Most popular male first names for children in Poland 2023

Costs of raising a child up to 18 years old in a 2+1 family in Poland 2015-2024

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Demographics.

Most popular first names for children in Poland H1 2023

Educational Institutions & Market

Number of schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023, by type

Births, Deaths, Life Expectancy

Live births by age of mother in Poland 1980-2022

Further recommended statistics

• Basic Statistic Most popular first names for children in Poland H1 2023
• Basic Statistic Most popular female first names for children in Poland 2023
• Basic Statistic Most popular male first names for children in Poland 2023
• Premium Statistic Reasons why fewer children are born in Poland 2022
• Basic Statistic Costs of raising two children up to 18 years old in a 2+2 family in Poland 2015-2024

Most common registered first names for children born in Poland in 1st half 2023

Most common registered female first names for children born in Poland in 2023

Most common registered male first names for children born in Poland in 2023

Reasons why fewer children are born in Poland 2022

Reasons why fewer children are born in Poland in 2022

Costs of raising two children up to 18 years old in a 2+2 family in Poland 2015-2024

Costs of raising two children up to 18 years old in a family with two children in Poland from 2015 to 2024 (in 1,000 zloty)

• Premium Statistic Fertility rate in Poland 1950-2022
• Basic Statistic Live births by age of mother in Poland 1980-2022
• Premium Statistic Women's procreation plans in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Number of divorces in Poland 1980-2022, by number of minor children
• Premium Statistic Children of divorced couples in Poland 2022, by age
• Premium Statistic Share of divorced couples raising minor children in Poland 1980-2021
• Basic Statistic Number of institutional foster care facilities in Poland 2016-2023
• Premium Statistic Childcare facilities up to age of 3 in Poland 2022, by ownership

Fertility rate in Poland 1950-2022

Fertility rate in Poland from 1950 to 2022

Live births in Poland from 1980 to 2022, by age of mother

Women's procreation plans in Poland 2022

Women's reproductive plans in Poland in 2022

Number of divorces in Poland 1980-2022, by number of minor children

Number of divorces in Poland from 1980 to 2022, by number of minor children

Children of divorced couples in Poland 2022, by age

Children of divorced couples in Poland in 2022, by age

Share of divorced couples raising minor children in Poland 1980-2021

Share of divorced couples raising minor children (under 18) between 1980 and 2021

Number of institutional foster care facilities in Poland 2016-2023

Number of institutional foster care facilities in Poland from 2016 to 2023

Childcare facilities up to age of 3 in Poland 2022, by ownership

Number of facilities for children up to age of 3 in Poland in 2022, by ownership

• Basic Statistic Number of schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023, by type
• Premium Statistic Number of children in nursery schools in Poland 1990-2023
• Basic Statistic Number of pupils in schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023, by school
• Premium Statistic Number of children in the pre-primary education units and centers in Poland 2010-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of vocational schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of students in vocational schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023
• Premium Statistic Biggest expenses when buying school supplies for a child in Poland 2021-2023
• Premium Statistic Average declared expenses for the new school year in Poland 2014-2023, by children

Number of schools for children and youth in Poland between 1990 and 2023, by type of school

Number of children in nursery schools in Poland 1990-2023

Number of children in nursery schools in Poland from 1990 to 2023

Number of pupils in schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023, by school

Number of pupils in schools for children and youth in Poland between 1990 and 2023, by type of school (in 1,000s)

Number of children in the pre-primary education units and centers in Poland 2010-2023

Number of children pre-primary education units and pre-primary centers in Poland from 2010 to 2023

Number of vocational schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023

Number of vocational schools for children and youth in Poland from 1990 to 2023

Number of students in vocational schools for children and youth in Poland 1990-2023

Number of students in vocational schools for children and youth in Poland from 1990 to 2023 (in 1,000s)

Biggest expenses when buying school supplies for a child in Poland 2021-2023

Biggest expenses when buying school supplies for a child in Poland from 2021 to 2023

Average declared expenses for the new school year in Poland 2014-2023, by children

Average declared expenses for the new academic year in Poland in 2023/2024, by number of children (in zloty)

Behavior & after school activities

• Premium Statistic Ways children spend their leisure time in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Manifestations of the presence of children at home in Poland 2021
• Premium Statistic Types of paid extracurricular activities attended by children in Poland 2023
• Premium Statistic Children's space at home in Poland 2021
• Premium Statistic Children's opinion in home decor in Poland 2021

Ways children spend their leisure time in Poland 2022

Ways children spend their leisure time in Poland in 2022

Manifestations of the presence of children at home in Poland 2021

What is the presence of children most often manifested by?

Types of paid extracurricular activities attended by children in Poland 2023

Types of paid extracurricular activities attended by children at or outside of school in Poland in 2023

Children's space at home in Poland 2021

What kind of space does the child have at home?

Children's opinion in home decor in Poland 2021

Do we take the children's opinion into account when changing home decor?

Media usage

• Premium Statistic Age at which children started using the internet in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Children's access to selected electronic devices in Poland 2022, by age
• Premium Statistic Most popular websites and social networks used by children in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Most popular type of internet services used by children in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Services used by children on their phones in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Parents' expenditure on child's mobile telephone use in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Type of social media content posted by children in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Threats and unsafe behavior as a result of internet use by children in Poland 2022

Age at which children started using the internet in Poland 2022

Age at which children started using the internet in Poland in 2022

Children's access to selected electronic devices in Poland 2022, by age

Children's access to selected electronic devices in Poland in 2022, by age

Most popular websites and social networks used by children in Poland 2022

Most popular websites and social media sites used by children in Poland in 2022*

Most popular type of internet services used by children in Poland 2022

Most popular type of internet services used by children in Poland in 2022*

Services used by children on their phones in Poland 2022

Most popular type of telephone services used by children in Poland in 2022*

Parents' expenditure on child's mobile telephone use in Poland 2022

Average monthly spending on mobile telephony use by children in Poland in 2022* (in zloty)

Type of social media content posted by children in Poland 2022

Type of social media content posted by children in Poland in 2022

Threats and unsafe behavior as a result of internet use by children in Poland 2022

Threats and dangerous behaviors that can result from children using the internet in Poland in 2022

Family relations

• Premium Statistic Preferred qualities of children according to parents in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Opinions on how parents should deal with their children in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Most important teachings of parents when raising a child in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Percentage of parents giving their children pocket money in Poland 2021
• Premium Statistic Time spent with children to talk about their issues and experiences in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Time spent with children to help them study in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Time devoted to children to play together and go for a walk in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Difficulties of fathers in childcare in Poland 2022
• Premium Statistic Children's contact with grandparents in Poland 2021
• Premium Statistic Assessment of fathers' time spent with children in Poland 2022

Preferred qualities of children according to parents in Poland 2022

Preferred qualities of children when they grow up according to parents in Poland in 2022

Opinions on how parents should deal with their children in Poland 2022

Opinions on how parents should deal with their children in Poland in 2022

Most important teachings of parents when raising a child in Poland 2022

What do you think parents raising children should pay special attention to?

Percentage of parents giving their children pocket money in Poland 2021

How many parents in Poland say they give pocket money to their children?

Time spent with children to talk about their issues and experiences in Poland 2022

How often do you have time to talk to your child about their issues, experiences?

Time spent with children to help them study in Poland 2022

How often do you have time to do homework with your child, to help with learning?

Time devoted to children to play together and go for a walk in Poland 2022

How often do you have time to play together with your child, go for a walk?

Difficulties of fathers in childcare in Poland 2022

Difficulties of fathers experienced in relation to childcare in Poland in 2022

Children's contact with grandparents in Poland 2021

What kind of contact do children have with their grandparents?

Assessment of fathers' time spent with children in Poland 2022

Do you feel that you take care of your child enough time?

Further reports

Get the best reports to understand your industry.

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

Homework Ban

• X (formerly Twitter)

NAT: Hey, Nat here, let's see what's making news. Poland has just banned homework. Yes, that's right no homework ever. For lower primary students anyway. Here's Wren.

DAKOTA: Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

JACK: Yeah. Let's move to Poland.

DAKOTA: No, let's make a mind control device so we can make the Prime Minister ban homework in Australia.

JACK: Okay.

Yep, over here in Poland, kids are here living the dream. Homework is now banned for students in years 1 to 3 and for students in years 4 to 8, it's optional and won't count towards grades.

OLA: I am happy because this homework, I did not like it too much and it didn't really make much sense because most people in my class, in the morning would copy it from someone who has done the homework.

JUILAN: It's a little bit uncool that there is no more homework. But when there is no homework, that's also rather cool.

The Polish government decided to make the big move. After a moment that went viral at a campaign rally in the lead up to the parliamentary elections were a 14-year-old decided to make a stand for all Polish kids.

MACIEK, PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENT: This is a general problem of Polish schools that children's rights are being violated. For example, the right to take some rest. There is homework to be done during weekends, tests on Mondays, and so much homework is given us that we find no time for rest.

A lot of people agreed with Maciek. Before the ban, Polish kids spent around 1.7 hours per day on homework, which is more than a lot of other countries, and some experts questioned whether or not it was doing any good.

BARBARA NOWACKA, POLISH EDUCATION MINISTER: When I read research regarding the mental health of children, their overload with learning, the reasons of depression, of tensions, stress, or loss of interest in learning, one of the factors, the one that could be removed fastest, was the burden of homework.

Some studies have shown that while homework can be handy for high school students in primary school it doesn't necessarily help you learn and it takes up time that could be better spent doing things like hanging out with friends, playing sport, or doing other creative stuff.

STUDENT: I don't mind it but I still feel like it's a waste of time.

STUDENT: Because you could do everything else? Like you could do exercise? You could, like, play games.

On the flipside, fans of homework say, it can be a good way of making sure all the stuff you've learnt at school sticks in your head, and getting your parents involved in your learning. It can also teach you how to work independently, and to help you get ready for high school and university.

STUDENT: You can research more, and you have more time to catch up.

STUDENT: My grades have gone up a lot because of doing homework.

Some parents and teachers in Poland aren't on board with the ban, which they say happened too quickly and without enough consultation. So, could something like this happen here? Well, right now it's not on the cards and it's up to schools to decide their own homework policies. Unless of course…

DAKOTA: Three, two, one. JACK: Did it work? DAKOTA: Probably not.

Recently the Polish government decided to ban homework in lower primary and make it optional in upper primary. It’s a move that’s been welcomed by many kids although not all adults think it’s a good idea. We find out more about the debate over homework and whether or not it helps kids to learn.

• Justina Ward, Reporter

BTN Classroom Episode 10, 2024

In this episode

Kokoda Track

China Athlete Doping Claims

Should Homework Be Banned?

Homework Debate

Should Homework be banned? Newsround