Forest Day - Play Block I

Now we want to use the knowledge about the closer surroundings to find a place with each other where we can play fangis without causing too much damage. The place should be occupied by larger trees and not have much undergrowth.

Using branches, mark about half as many trees as the group has members. The trees mark the mouse holes. One person takes the role of the fox, the others are the mice running from the fox. The mice are safe at the marked trees, but unfortunately only one mouse can go to a tree in that particular hole. So if a mouse comes to a tree, the mouse that was previously at the tree has to leave.

Variation 1
1 A trapped mouse stays put, but can be brought back to life by two other mice if it is carried to a circle marked before the game. Of course, the fox will always keep an eye on this circle and try to catch the "rescuer mice" as well.

After a certain amount of time (e.g. 10 mins), on a signal from the game leader, the game suddenly reverses: The fox is chased by mice and must in turn seek safety in the marked circle. If he is caught outside this circle, all the mice carry him around the forest for a while as a trophy.

Variation 2
Each mouse carries around a branch or a pine cone. For each mouse caught, the fox places the branch or pine cone in a circle marked on the ground.

The caught mice have to pile up forest material on, before the game prepared banners (also sheets or old wool blankets are suitable). However, no large pieces of wood or stones should be used. The trapped mice load forest material onto the tarpaulins until a mouse that is still alive can take a branch or pine cone and give it back to a trapped mouse. Of course, this only succeeds if the fox does not keep a close eye on the circle. The freed mouse can rejoin the game.

After a certain time, on a special signal, all the mice fight back together against the fox and make life difficult for him. If he can't get to safety in the circle, he has to go under the "forest shower". To do this, the tarpaulins loaded with forest material are poured out over the fox.

(See PDF file for details)

Source reference:

Content: Klemens Niederberger with the collaboration of CH WALDWOCHEN in den Schweiz. Children's and Youth Associations, 1990?

Patronage:
- Federal Councillor Flavio Cotti, FDHA
- Conference of Forestry Directors (FDK)
- Conference of Directors of Education (EDK)

Promoters:
- Schweiz. Zentrum f. Umwelterziehung (SZU)
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
- Schweiz. Bund f. Naturschutz (SBN)
- Bundesamt f. Umwelt, Wald und Landschaft (BUWAL)
- Eid. Research Institute for Forests, Snow and Landscape (WSL)
- Forestry Central Office (FZ)
- Swiss Foresters Association (VSF/ASF)
- Swiss Forestry Association (FZ). Foresters (VSF/ASF)
- Schweiz. Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Jugendverbände (SAJV)
- Dachverband Lehrer und Lehrerinnen Schweiz (LCH)
- Forum schweiz. Elternorganisationen (FSEO)

copyright: CH Forest Weeks, Zofingen

Photos: Klemens Niederberger, Peter Frey, Philippe Pomont and others