Durach - outdoors in almost any weather: Durach now offers a near-natural kindergarten in the forest.
Last Friday afternoon, Am Schreyenwald in Durach officially opened the forest kindergarten based on a nature-educational concept.
Happy children's laughter and excited voices could be heard from afar.
Numerous parents came with their children up the small dirt road to the idyllic forest kindergarten in the municipality of Durach, located on the edge of the forest: a kindergarten without a roof or walls.
Climbing trees, hiding in bushes and shrubs, looking for animal tracks, digging in the earth like moles, listening to the wind and feeling the rain on your skin: the forest kindergarten is nature's place of learning and play.
The forest kindergarten, which is based on a nature-educational concept and has been in operation since last autumn, was officially inaugurated last Friday afternoon with a small celebration.
Impressive example
Childcare is one of the most important tasks of a community, emphasized Mayor Gerhard Hock in his opening speech.
There is a great demand for kindergarten places, such as in a forest kindergarten.
This gave rise to the idea of a childcare center close to nature.
A visit to the forest kindergarten in the Buchenberg community was particularly impressive and encouraged everyone involved to offer care with a nature-educational concept.
“It was freezing cold, the snow was pouring and the wind was blowing through the trees.
And yet the children played happily outside, ”said Hock.
The area in the forest "Am Schreyenwald" was made available by the Bavarian State Forests, so the idea could be implemented.
Learning from nature
The forest offers a lot of space and game material in abundance. Every child, whether shy and calm or freedom-loving and active, has the opportunity to develop freely and individually, explained Franz JM Huber, chairman of the sponsoring association H&B Learning. He had the experience with his two children that the children love spending time in the forest. Your imagination and creativity would be strengthened. In addition, this concept supports the motor and social development of the children. "The little personalities learn from nature for life."
Forest kindergartens are among the environmental educational institutions.
It is an unprepared environment that nature offers the children, explained educator and overall educational director Alfred Heller.
The children experience the interplay of the seasons in close connection with nature, creating a natural relationship with nature.
Compared to other childcare facilities, the children are mostly outdoors.
Instead of toys, the little ones mainly occupied themselves with materials that nature offers them, said Heller.
"The central role is played by nature." The children can move better and more freely, are less restricted and are less exposed to overstimulation, the educator described the advantages.
In addition, spending a lot of time outdoors promotes the health of the children, they are less sick.
There are currently 18 children in the group.
25 places are available.
In addition to free play, there are also fixed rituals, Heller described the daily routine.
So they started the day with a morning circle, there was a joint snack and a final circle in the seamless room "forest".
The children have already spent the first winter together in the forest kindergarten, said kindergarten director Katrin Breckle, beaming with joy.
She thanked the parents that they had the courage to start at the nature care center together with their children, despite the lack of advance viewing, which was not possible due to the pandemic.
After the official part, the guests had the opportunity to exchange ideas over a snack and celebrate the opening.
