Thüringer Wald: Wandern mit Kindern in der Drachenschlucht ©TTG (Martin Kirchner)

Inspiring Germany

12 Wow-Factor Nature Experiences for Kids

Swing out of your hammocks. The German forests and fields are waiting to be conquered. With these 12 tips, you'll give your kids experiences to remember.

Donkey Trekking

Eine Gruppe von Kindern und Erwachsenen geht einen Waldweg entlang. Ein Kind reitet auf einem Esel, und ein Erwachsener führt ihn an. Der Wald ist üppig und grün mit hohen Bäumen und Farnen auf beiden Seiten des Weges. Donkey walk with children in the forest ©Adobe Stock (CC-IMAGES)

Perhaps you'd love to go hiking, but your children think hiking is stupid? So how about a donkey trek? With a long-eared friend at your side, you'll quickly become hiking buddies. There are donkey hikes in the Bavarian Forest, at the Baltic Sea or in Thuringia, for example.

Experience Nature Barefoot

Nackte Füße laufen auf einem Weg aus Holzscheiben und kleinen Steinen im Kurpark in Bad Wörishofen Bad Woerishofen: Barefoot path in the spa park; Kneipp application ©DZT (Florian Trykowski)

Barefoot and adventure parks are fun for kids and parents. They stimulate the senses and invite laughter and wonder. They exist all over Germany. The Zauberland Nature Adventure Park at Lake Kinzig with tree houses and sky ladders is certainly worth exploring. And in the Bavarian Forest in Spiegelau, children can "understand the forest through play" at ten stations along the tour. Meanwhile, a refreshing foot massage awaits visitors of all ages at the Barefoot Park in Ötisheim, Baden-Württemberg.

From Eagles to Pheasants

Everybody knows what wild boars, monkeys and tigers are like. But it is really exciting to watch a bird of prey demonstration. This is possible, for example, in bird parks such as the Weltvogelpark in Lüneburg Heath or the Alte Fasanerie Wildlife Park in Hanau, Hesse.

A Night Walk

A view of the night sky with many stars. A band of the Milky Way is clearly visible in the sky. The silhouette of trees lines the lower part of the picture. Starry sky over the International Star Park Eifel National Park ©Nationalpark Eifel (Maximilian Kaiser)

Wasn't that a bat just now? And who is doing that frightful screaming? Children can experience this and much more on a night hike. These are offered at nature parks in many states across Germany.

Rafting Along the Rivers

A person on a boat sits on the edge and looks out over the water. The boat is made of wood and has a cabin with round windows. Tall reeds grow near the shore and a forest can be seen in the background. Mecklenburgische Seenplatte: Floßtour ©TMV (myroad.de)

A raft trip is thrilling, but also noticeably slower than paddling a canoe. Most importantly, the children feel like the adventurous "Huckleberry Finn" from Mark Twain's famous novel. You can go rafting in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania as well as in the Ruhr, for example.

Climbing Through Forest and Treetops

Bad Mergentheim: Child climbs on tree, wildlife park Bad Mergentheim: Child climbs on tree, wildlife park ©Wildpark Bad Mergentheim (www.psag.eu)

Forest climbing parks and high ropes courses can be found in many German states. Most of them lead across the forest from tree to tree. For variety, there are climbing tours of varying difficulty as well as ropeways and playgrounds. Forest climbing parks can be found, for example, in Velert-Langenberg, in Leinen on the Moselle, on the island of Rügen and in the Ederndorf adventure forest in the Franconian Seeland.

Undercover Mission as a Beach Detective

A beach is not just for building castles, it's also alive. Kids can discover firsthand who exactly lives there as part of the environmental education program "Become a Beach Detective", offered by the Ozeanum in Stralsund.

Harvest Apples, Eat Apples

Mit roten und grünen Äpfeln gefüllte Holzkisten stehen auf einer Wiese im Chiemgau, beleuchtet von hellem Sonnenlicht Chiemgau: apple crates on a farm ©DZT (Günter Standl)

Climbing trees, snacking on apples: early autumn is apple harvest time in Germany, particularly in the orchard meadows of Hesse or Brandenburg. Fun for the whole family, especially since apple cider is often made and enjoyed afterwards.

Join Heidi in the Alps

In Berchtesgadener Land laufen zwei Jungen hinter Kühen, die mit bunten Ornamenten geschmückt sind. Die Kühe sind Teil einer traditionellen Veranstaltung, die als Almabtrieb am Königsee bekannt ist. Berchtesgadener Land: Almabtrieb at Königsee ©www.bayern.by (Peter von Felbert)

In the Allgäu, many alpine pastures are still traditionally managed. A fantastic experience for kids is to spend a day on the alpine pastures. Together with a mountain guide, the children can visit an alpine pasture and, looking over the farmer's wife's shoulder, can learn many exciting things about nature, the animals and life on the alpine pasture.

Cornfield Labyrinth: To Err is Human

Eine Luftaufnahme zeigt ein Maislabyrinth in Deutschland. Das Labyrinth ist in ein großes grünes Maisfeld geschnitten und weist symmetrische Muster mit Wegen auf. In der Mitte des Labyrinths befindet sich eine kleine Holzplattform. Eine Straße mit Bäumen verläuft entlang des Feldes. Maize maze ©Adobe Stock (Christian Schwier)

Kids love cornfield mazes. There is a lot of giggling and laughing as they search for the right path. Many cornfield mazes can be found in the Rhine-Main area, for example, but you will also find them in Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Württemberg or Thuringia.

Treetop Path Skywalk in Allgäu

Aussichtspunkt Skywalk Scheidegg, ein hölzerner Steg mit Metallgeländer, schwebt über einem Wald und bietet einen schönen Blick auf die Landschaft darunter im Allgäu. Scheidegg: Walk over the Skywalk with a view over the Allgäu region ©Adobe Stock (makasana photo)

If you are on holiday with your family in the Allgäu, you should definitely visit the Skywalk treetop path: Located 1000 metres above sea level, this nature adventure park with its suspension bridge construction is also wheelchair accessible. The walkways are free-floating, which means the treetop trail is constantly in motion. And if that's not already exciting enough, from the viewing platform you also have an excellent view of the Allgäu, the Alps and Lake Constance.

Waterfall Hiking

Glasbach Wasserfall in Jachenau fließt eine Felswand hinunter in ein kleines Becken. Die Umgebung besteht aus großen Felsblöcken, und die Klippe ist mit grüner Vegetation bewachsen. Jachenau: Great Laine Waterfall ©Lookphotos (Norbert L. Maier)

Waterfalls are very impressive and awe inspiring for children. Once the destination becomes apparent, the little ones don't complain, even as they are hiking. You will find many waterfalls in Jachenau, for example, in the Bavarian Tölzer Land. Also worth seeing are the Lech Falls near Füssen in Allgäu and the Urach Waterfall between Stuttgart and Constance. Several waterfalls are also located in Saxony, such as the Blauenthaler, Tiefenbach or Beuthenfall waterfalls.

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