What does democracy mean when you are eight, nine or ten years old? And can children really understand democracy without experiencing it themselves?

Just two days before the 2026 Berlin elections, primary students at Berlin Cosmopolitan School took part in their own Election Day — complete with voter IDs, polling stations, voting booths, ballot papers and secret voting.

But this was about much more than learning how elections work. It was about having a voice. Making a choice. Thinking about fairness. Respecting different opinions. And discovering what happens when the majority chooses something different from what you wanted.

In this episode of the Future Education Podcast, we hear from BCS students, teachers and parents about learning democracy by doing — and why experiences like this can help children understand that their voice matters, but so do the voices of others.