Wood, fire, and bridge building: what sounds like adventure is part of the educational concept of the IB Adventure Playground on Kiefernstraße in Frankfurt am Main. At this open leisure facility run by the Internationaler Bund (IB), children aged 6 to 12 can play and explore in nature all year round, always under educational supervision.
One thing is often lacking for children growing up in cities: direct contact with nature – something well known to Tizia Huber, educational staff member at the Adventure Playground.
“With us, everything revolves around experiencing nature. We work in a participatory way with the children, meaning: they help decide what we do, such as: What would you like to do today? Sometimes a hut or bridge is built, sometimes there is mud play, or the children explore nature across the 1,600 m² grounds.”
Adventure in the heart of the city: “Experience nature, try things out, and discover community”
The distinctive profile of experiential education, as practiced at the playground, is based on self-organization, voluntariness, and needs orientation. The children take on responsibility and plan projects independently: “The children come up with great ideas, especially when it comes to planning constructions. Of course, safety comes first, and we accompany them in the process,” says Tizia Huber.
The aim of the program is to provide children with their own leisure space, strengthen social skills, and enable nature experiences. The playground offers a wide range of activities, which vary depending on the season, from making fires, tending garden beds, repairing bicycles, cooking, baking, and crafting to simply playing freely outdoors.
“Especially in urban areas, it is important for children to have a place where they can experience nature, try things out, and develop a sense of community. With facilities like the Adventure Playground, the IB creates valuable free spaces that are missing in the daily lives of many children,” emphasizes Thiemo Fojkar, Chairman of the IB Executive Board.
The program is free of charge and open to children aged six to twelve. The Adventure Playground is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For larger groups, prior registration is requested.