"Border crossers" from the day care centre visit the Korbach column
What boy or girl doesn't dream of meeting a real dinosaur one day? For 30 children from the "Sonnenschein" municipal kindergarten in Korbach, this dream has now come true. During an exciting hike to the Korbach crevice, they not only got to know the prehistoric dachshund Procynosuchus, but actually met a dinosaur. And although this yellow-brown Tyrannosaurus Rex had many sharp teeth, he proved to be so friendly and sociable that the little dinosaur friends were happy to have their picture taken with him. An experience that the kindergarten children will certainly talk about for a long time.
The Korbacher Spalte was not chosen as a hiking destination without reason. The GrenzWeltenNational Geopark and the town of Korbach had invited the children there. Geopark director Kim Peis and mayor Klaus Friedrich did not miss the opportunity to personally welcome the children to the fossil site, which is world-famous in geological circles. As little border walkersin the "Border Worlds", the girls and boys were introduced to the significance of the Korbach Fissure in a playful way and their first interest in "stone science" was awakened. Because as Kim Peis noted: "Just looking at rocks is naturally boring for children. But when dinos come into play, their interest increases many times over.
The encounter with prehistoric times was organised by Geopark guide Peter Hankel and Geopark guide Dr Ute Richter. They had prepared a varied programme for the little border walkers, during which the morning flew by in no time. The crowning glory was the encounter with the friendly dinosaur, which, according to a rather timid child, looked "like a balloon" up close and in whose neck a clever boy actually discovered the face of a human being behind a window. But even the knowledge that Geopark employee Maximilian-Malte Paul had put on a costume and thus become a dinosaur did not dampen the enthusiasm of the border walkers. They were allowed to play with a "real" Tyrannosaurus Rex at the Korbach crevice and thus got to know the GrenzWeltenGeopark in a way that really aroused their interest in the fossil site.
The excursion was a prelude to the planned cooperation between the GrenzWeltenGeopark and the future, first Geopark kindergarten. In addition to excursions to the Korbacher Spalte, the Sonnenschein kindergarten, under the direction of Anja Köhler-Schotte, is already planning a kindergarten festival around the themes of the Geopark. In addition, Peter Hankel and Dr. Ute Richter will visit the kindergarten on site and conduct various games and experiments with the little border walkers.
"It is important to us to teach the children about the history of the earth. We want them to get to grips with the environment, to get to know and love it and to treat it with care in the future," answers Anja Köhler-Schotte when asked why the "Sonnenschein" decided to become a Geopark Kindergarten. Kindergartens, day-care centres and all other interested parties can obtain further information from the GrenzWeltenGeopark project office by calling 05631 954-512 or e-mailing geopark@lkwafkb.de.