A playground on cross-country skis - not just for the little ones.
Exercise in the fresh air is the best way to strengthen the immune system and release happiness hormones. Of course, this is especially true for children.
Cross-country skiing is ideal for this. The only problem is that the youngest children often find cross-country skiing rather boring and want action and fun above all else. The Fun & Snow Park at Ritzensee in Saalfelden provides a remedy. A sophisticated station concept is designed to teach children how to enjoy exercise in a playful way and introduce them to cross-country skiing: ‘The park is intended to be a playground on cross-country skis. It's about gaining initial experience. This is true for the very young, of course, but also for adults. The stations are self-explanatory, fun and the learning effect is almost a side effect,’ says Mark Hauser, who created the concept for the park together with the municipality of Saalfelden, the ski club and the ski middle school and planned the expansion this season.
The 22 stations in the Fun and Snow Park are based on a tried-and-tested system developed by the Swiss Ski Association. Saalfelden is the first destination to implement the concept in Austria to date: ‘The park has enabled children to train in the fresh air, especially in times of coronavirus,’ says Hauser. The stations are embedded in the Nordic Park, which has been offering concentrated Nordic winter sports expertise at Lake Ritzensee since 2017. The Fun & Snow Park is used by both clubs and schools, but private individuals are also welcome to use it at any time. Use is free of charge. The park is managed and maintained by the municipality and the Nordic clubs. Free hire is also offered on site for school groups from Saalfelden's compulsory schools. ‘We want to make the sport accessible to as many children as possible,’ says Hauser.
As long as the snow conditions allow, the cross-country skiing playground will be open this season. And there are already numerous ideas for an extension next year.
