Summing up

The history and story of the ‘Foundling Hospitals’ and the tokens left, is an important one to remember and learn from.

Gather children in a circle if space is available and invite them to share one of the following:

A word that describes how they felt learning about the tokens.

Something they learned about identity or belonging.

What their own token means to them.

(Remind children that they have the option to pass or continue thinking.)

We have learned that even the smallest object—a button, a ribbon, a piece of cloth, can carry a thousand words of love, hope, and memory. The tokens left at the Foundling Hospital were more than things, they were stories, identities, and connections. Your tokens today show who you are, what matters to you, and how we all belong in different ways.

Extension

Children can design and plan a mini museum exhibition of their own at school.

Museum Curators: “A token speaks a thousand words”

The museum exhibit will feature their tokens and a written explanation of the project.

They could include drawings, labels, and even audio recordings if tech is available.