Childhood in the forest: This is what the Königsdorf forest kindergarten offers its offspring

Created: 03/11/2022, 19:55

By: Peter Borchers

Start with a small group: Director Yvonne Schmerbeck and educator Konrad Federl are currently looking after six children in the new forest kindergarten in Königsdorf.

The facility has a total of 22 places.

The forest here is beautiful and very original.

It offers countless opportunities to experience many great adventures with the children in the morning.

Director Yvonne Schmerbeck on the potential of the new forest kindergarten at Rothmühle © Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss

The Königsdorf forest kindergarten is open.

The concept of the facility is based entirely on Mother Nature.

A yurt and campfire provide shelter and warmth.

Königsdorf – Roaming through nature, cooking at the campfire, carving or building something out of branches – to be honest: what child wouldn’t be up for something like that?

In Königsdorf, the youngsters can experience such adventures.

On Monday, the new forest kindergarten opened its doors in the vicinity of the Hochland youth settlement.

Yvonne Schmerbeck, ErLe deputy chairwoman with extensive forest kindergarten experience, runs the facility.

Three employees support her.

Childhood in the forest: This is what the Königsdorf forest kindergarten offers its offspring

In the March meeting of this year, Königsdorf's council decided to expand the range of care in the community - the need is constantly growing - to include a forest kindergarten, albeit run by an external sponsor.

The project was initiated by the town hall manager Andreas Baumann.

It met with broad approval from the board at the time.

Marlies Woisetschläger (UBL), for example, welcomed the fact that the municipality was finally "broadening itself with different forms of care".

Forest kindergarten Königsdorf: A place was quickly found

An agreement was quickly reached with the ErLe association.

His boss Michaela Lüttich and deputy Yvonne Schmerbeck immediately recognized the advantages of the proposed site at Rothmühle.

"After Michaela and I had a look at the area, it quickly became clear that we really wanted to do it," recalls 53-year-old Schmerbeck.

“The forest here is beautiful and very original.

It offers countless opportunities to experience many great adventures with the children in the mornings.” The little ones can “discover and develop their potential undisturbed at their own pace”.

Interim solution yurt: The winter tent is being set up

However, the opening dragged on.

Schmerbeck actually wanted to start "like other care facilities in mid-September".

However, since the heatable yurt to be erected, which serves as accommodation, is considered a special building in the district regulations, a building permit was required.

And it only reached the sponsoring association last week.

"We set up the yurt right away," said the manager.

It is not set up yet, "that will happen in the coming days".

16 places unoccupied - reason is delayed admission

The forest kindergarten offers up to 22 places – plus two for children with special needs.

The facility started with just six kids – which is largely due to the lengthy approval process.

Because of the uncertainty, according to Schmerbeck, “some parents had to reorient themselves”.

She therefore considered “whether we can financially support the start with such a small group as an association.

But we take the risk in the hope that many more will come.”

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Reservations about forest kindergarten: carving, open fire and a large forest

Some parents have doubts about forest care facilities: They fear ticks that bite their offspring, sharp carving knives that the little ones could cut themselves with, or that the children simply get lost.

Yvonne Schmerbeck knows about these fears of contact: "We have the Rothmühlbach nearby, we have an open fire, we use tools - of course, that some people think about it." A mother, the 53-year-old gives a current example, is all that not even aware of it, "but after looking around at us, she thinks it's really good".

The forest excursions are well organized

Nothing works in the forest without well-organized supervision: "There are always three of us, because there are no walls in the forest." Walls are synonymous with a supervisor.

And because there were no walls, "we always assign an extra person who is just busy making sure that all the children are there."

Current news from Königsdorf can be found here.

Good mood after a long wait

Handling tools - knives, saws, hammers, drills, files and nails - is part of the concept of a forest kindergarten.

Konrad Federl explained the rules to the little ones on Monday.

One of the most important: "He who carves, sits!" After that, under the guidance of the educator, the group worked on the previously collected deadwood.

"Everyone was in a good mood," says Yvonne Schmerbeck, but that's no wonder: "We've all waited a long time for the start."

Protection from the weather: forest kindergarten Königsdorf finds shelter

The heated yurt offers shelter on particularly wet or cold days.

From wind force 7, however, it is taboo.

In this case, the facility may use the forest hut of the youth settlement, which was agreed with its director Roland Herzog, says Schmerbeck.

Both sides can imagine further cooperation, for example the kindergarten working on the maintenance and expansion of the nature adventure trail in the youth settlement.

Museum or swimming pool - further actions are planned

Every two weeks, the manager also plans trips, for example to a museum or to the swimming pool.

The transport connections for this are great here,” enthuses Yvonne Schmerbeck, “the bus goes right past the youth settlement.”

Info

: If you are interested in a place in the Königsdorfer forest kindergarten or a trial day appointment or need further information, please contact the director Yvonne Schmerbeck on telephone 01 76/ 21 81 86 65 or by e-mail to schmerbeck@erle-erlebnis-lernen .de.

The concept of the forest kindergarten can be found on the homepage of the ErLe association (www.erle-erlebnis-lernen.de).

Read the latest news from the Wolfratshausen/Geretsried region here