Off we go: Start perfectly prepared for the forest

What shall we wear?

In autumn it can sometimes be a bit more unpleasant or rainy – so on a forest walk with children the right outdoor clothing shouldn't be missing. Preferably robust and dirt-resistant it should be, so the kids can romp around in all weathers.

With our outdoor trousers your child is always dry and well wrapped up, because they are usually wind- and water-repellent as well as breathable. At the same time, the little ones look like the grown-ups: The outdoor trousers are available, for example, in black, blue, green and pink and are equipped with cool pockets where the little ones can immediately stow their found keepsakes. Whether softshell, fleece or Primaloft – comfortable jackets and vests are an important part of your child's basic equipment for a forest walk. They come in different styles to suit every taste. Above all, the jackets are snugly warm and also ideal for the transition from autumn to winter. With great colors, horse motifs or little stars, the forest walk becomes even more fun.

A perfect autumn outfit always includes an outdoor shoe to feel comfortable. With us you'll find classic ankle boots, tall boots and hiking shoes for your little ones, optionally with quick-lace systems or Velcro, which the children can also put on by themselves. The shoes are waterproof, super warm and breathable – so your child can happily jump enthusiastically into the next puddle.

What do we take with us?

Important, of course, is not only the appropriate autumn clothing, but also the proper equipment, when it should be a longer forest walk. This way you and your child are perfectly prepared for the next outing.

Accessories such as hats, gloves and scarves keep your child warm and are also a stylish eye-catcher. From fluffy knit hats to casual beanies with patterns to snow-proof winter gloves – here you'll find the right gear for every weather.

Additionally, a practical backpack turn the kids into real outdoor pros. Of course there are children who prefer to carry a small children's bag, but others insist on playing scout with a well-equipped backpack. Our backpacks come in various sizes, shapes and colors – and of course also for hiking.

The outdoor backpacks not only offer plenty of space, but can also be personalized with your child's name. They are also ideal backpacks for stashing lunch boxes and drink bottles – after all, every brave explorer needs the right provisions for their adventure. The lunch boxes and drink bottles are available in colors matching our backpacks, but also with many other designs.

To make the forest expedition a complete success, you'll also find exciting explorer toys, such as magnifying bug jars, nets, excavation kits or walkie-talkies. This equips your child perfectly and lets them literally examine the forest's nature up close.

Explore the forest and experience it with all senses

Collect leaves and chestnuts

A forest walk in autumn is a riot of colors. The foliage glows in the most varied shades of red and yellow – your child can really let off steam in the colorful sea of leaves. Let your child collect leaves in the most beautiful colors and shapes and wait to see how enthusiastically they present their discoveries to you.

Furthermore, the forest has many other natural materials to offer, such as chestnuts, beechnuts, pine cones or acorns. It's not only fun to collect them. After the forest walk they can also be used wonderfully for crafting.

Listen to the animals of the forest

During an outing in the forest there is always the opportunity to observe wild animals in their natural habitat. Maybe a deer will cross your path or a squirrel will scurry from tree to tree.

A forest walk with children is especially exciting because you and your child can fully and completely immerse yourselves in nature can. Just pause for a moment and listen to nature and the animals of the forest.

Forest ecosystem

What does the forest protect us from?

The forest is so important to people because it serves as a natural climate protector. The trees use the carbon of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen during photosynthesis, which we need to breathe. Thus all the trees of the forest are involved in climate protection and are of particularly high importance to us.

Moreover, the forest supplies us with the sustainable and environmentally friendly raw material wood, provides moisture and replenishes the groundwater. Not least, forests are of great importance for wildlife as well, because numerous animal species and organisms are native to this habitat.

How much forest is there in Germany?

Forest areas in Germany cover as much as 11,4 Millionen Hektar and account for 33 percent of the country – that is one third. On this area there are over 90 billion young and old trees. The most common tree species is the spruce, but pines, beeches, oaks and birches are also very common in our forests.

Which types of forest are there?

In Germany there are primarily deciduous forests, coniferous forests and mixed forests. The growth of deciduous forests, such as beech forests or riparian forests, is favored by the Central European climate. Coniferous forests, on the other hand, are predominantly planted by humans, whereas natural coniferous forests occur only in the high altitudes of the mountains. Mixed forests consist, as the name suggests, of both deciduous and coniferous trees and are particularly species-rich.

Back home: Now it's time to craft!

After the forest walk with children the fun is of course not over, because the various natural materials are wonderful for crafting. So if your child has happily collected leaves, chestnuts, pine cones, stones, little sticks or bark on the way, quite a lot can be created at home. This way a few nice decorations, which remind of the walk and encourage your child to go back to the forest soon.

Instructions: Make chestnut crafts

1. To make cute chestnut animals with your child, you need chestnuts, a hand drill, a chestnut holder, toothpicks or matches, scissors, googly eyes for decorating and all-purpose glue.

2. Now the crafting can begin. Let your child decide, which animals they would like to craft – perhaps even the wild animals of the forest? Just start with a deer.

3. First, very carefully the holes in the chestnuts must be drilled. Help your child with this so they don't hurt themselves. First, the chestnut for the body is secured in a chestnut holder, then four holes for the legs are drilled into the underside with the hand drill. In addition, two holes are drilled on the top of the chestnut, one at the front and one at the back end. These are the holes for the tail and the neck. Now take a second chestnut for the head and drill a hole at the bottom for the neck connector and two holes at the top for the antlers.

4. Now everything can be assembled, and your child can help out wonderfully. First, four toothpicks or matches are inserted, which now represent the legs. Then the almost finished animal already stands on all fours. Next comes the tail: here you can carefully shorten the matchstick a little with the scissors and then insert it into one of the ends. The matchstick for the neck can keep its full length and is also attached. Now only the chestnut for the head. This is placed onto the neck piece with the side that has only one hole. Finally the deer receives antlers, which consist of two shortened matchsticks. And that's it!

5. Finally, the wild animal can be decorated with cute googly eyes. These are carefully glued on with some glue.

Image credits

Children examine the forest with a magnifying glass © Jacob Lund - stock.adobe.com

Child with colorful leaves in hand © mtrlin - stock.adobe.com