Forest Explorer Group: Forest Foxes

With our forest explorer groups and forest playgroups, we create a space for children and families to spend an exciting, educational and memorable time in the forest outside childcare and school hours.

The groups meet regularly outdoors, are led by a qualified forest playgroup leader and cover four age groups in total:

• Waldmäuse (Forest Mice): for expectant parents and parents with children aged 0 to 2

• Waldbienen (Forest Bees): for parents with children aged 2 to 4

• Waldameisen (Forest Ants): for children aged 4 to 6

• Waldfüchse (Forest Foxes): for children aged 6 to 12

• In the Forest Ranger Group Forest Foxes, we immerse ourselves in a deep connection with nature.

  We...

  • try our hand at carving, work with tools and build forest shelters.

  • get creative with what nature provides and learn traditional crafts.

  • learn how animals move through the forest and follow their tracks.

  • listen to birdsong and learn the language of birds.

  • discover the secrets of the plant world.

  • explore and marvel. Experiences that engage all our senses help us retain our new knowledge.

  • light fires and learn different techniques for doing so.

  • sit together around the fire, listen to one another, tell wilderness stories, sing wilderness songs and prepare delicious food.

  • let our curiosity guide us and discover that self-efficacy makes us stronger.

  • take plenty of time for what interests us and makes us feel good.

  • learn to ask good questions, because they are more important than answers.

  • sharpen our senses and concentration through games and wilderness education techniques.

  • come fully alive and sometimes enjoy the quiet, too.

  • learn from and with one another and foster a sense of community.

  • are FREE and WILD! The group dynamics, the weather conditions and what nature gives us shape our afternoon!

The Waldläuferbande Waldfüchse is a regular program that runs throughout the year. It takes place in the seasons of autumn, spring, and summer, making it possible to experience nature through the cycle of the year. Approximately six sessions (on Thursdays) are planned for each season.

The woodland explorers group is for children approximately 6 to 12 years old, though older children are also very welcome! Mixed-age groups have great advantages. We work in a very interest- and needs-oriented way, following wilderness education principles: we take our cues from the seasons, nature, and group dynamics, and let ourselves be guided in directions that emerge while we are outdoors. This means that only part of the program is planned, and each child can develop at their own pace and according to their interests.

For the Forest Explorers group, clothing appropriate for the weather is necessary. Sessions take place in all weather (except storms/thunderstorms). Suitable clothing and footwear are essential for spending time outdoors!

In spring and autumn, it is important to bring mud gloves (preferably insulated). Please remember a hat for sun protection in summer. Long trousers and T-shirts provide good protection from the sun, stinging nettles, and tick bites in spring/summer.

Children also need a backpack with a water bottle, a snack, and a sitting mat. In autumn, a headlamp and a high-visibility vest are also necessary! It will already be dark when we leave the forest at the end of the session.

We are happy to offer further tips on outdoor clothing and equipment if needed. Please just ask.

We sometimes cook over a campfire. Please be sure to let us know if your child follows a particular diet (vegetarian, vegan, etc.) or has any food intolerances or allergies!