At the same time, playgrounds are evolving into immersive experience spaces. In theme parks, zoos, and tourist destinations in particular, they have become an integral part of the overall visitor experience. It’s no longer just about individual play equipment, but about staging, storytelling, and atmosphere. Themed worlds are extended through play, making visits more engaging and memorable.

A strong example is Djurs Sommerland, where the Dinosaur Land has been expanded with a themed adventure playground that seamlessly continues the existing world. Children can dig for fossils, climb, and immerse themselves in imaginative role play—surrounded by a vividly staged prehistoric setting. The playground itself becomes an attraction, increasing the time visitors spend in the park.

The Playmobil FunPark demonstrates how powerful themed play environments can be. Familiar play scenarios are transformed into walk-in worlds. In the Pirate Bay, for example, children steer rafts, engage in water battles, and actively step into their fantasy roles. The combination of familiarity and physical experience creates a particularly intense form of play.

Zoos take a different approach, focusing on balancing animal welfare with visitor experience. At Aalborg Zoo, nature-inspired walkways and platforms offer new perspectives on animals without disturbing their habitats. At Apenheul Primate Park, play areas are designed to make animal behavior tangible—children move like primates and learn about their way of life through active play.

For operators, playgrounds have become a strategic asset: they strengthen brand identity, increase dwell time, and foster emotional connections. What matters is not size, but a well-conceived overall concept that continues the story of a place.

Modern play spaces combine play, learning, and experience. They create environments where people connect, memories are formed, and communities grow. Because regardless of age or background, one thing remains true:

Play is the common language.

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All the more reason for us at SIK Holz to be delighted that we were able to support our long-time employee Julia Abheiden in attending the World Ice Art Championships 2026 in Fairbanks as part of an educational leave.

Julia has been a valued member of our company for more than ten years. In her case, passion and profession come together in a very special way. At SIK Holz, she works as an instructor in wood sculpture, passing on her skills and experience to the next generation with great dedication and enthusiasm.

Although she has only been active on the international ice carving scene since 2024, she has already gained valuable experience and continues to expand her artistic spectrum.

In Alaska, she first worked in the so-called “BootCamp,” creating various sculptures for the visitor park. Afterwards, she took part in two competitions.

In the MultiBlock competition, she worked together with international teammates to create an almost four-meter-tall steampunk giraffe riding a penny-farthing bicycle, accompanied by a skateboarding turtle – all carved from a total of 18 tons of ice. With this impressive work, the team achieved 6th place.

In the subsequent DoubleBlock competition, she teamed up with German chainsaw carver Sylvia Itzen to create the sculpture “Icarus in Ice.” The delicate depiction of a flying Icarus gives the massive material a remarkable sense of lightness. Among 21 international teams, the sculpture was awarded 8th place.

We are proud to have such a talented and dedicated wood sculptor as an instructor in our team. With her skills, passion, and commitment, she not only shapes the craft itself but also inspires and supports the next generation of wood sculptors.

It gives us great pleasure to have supported her on this journey and in gaining such a valuable experience. It is especially rewarding to see that not only our products find their way into the world, but also our craft and the people behind it gain international experience and carry our tradition beyond borders.

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For us, this place is far more than just a reference project. Since 2004, we have had the privilege of working together with the FunPark team and renowned landscape architecture firms to develop themed worlds, build them, and continuously evolve them over the years. A tangible part of the park’s history bears our craftsmanship.

What once began with treehouse worlds has grown into numerous projects that many families remember fondly: the Western Town, the Ark, construction-themed areas, the Dino Trail, and of course the great sea battle featuring the impressive pirate ship where children can even play “below deck.”

What has always impressed us most is the FunPark’s consistent commitment to thematic authenticity. Initially shaped by Horst Brandstätter and later continued within a new structure—yet always guided by the same mindset: visionary, realistic, reliable, and exceptionally strong in cross-trade collaboration. Such a cooperative and seamless partnership is rare.

Another meaningful connection is our collaboration with the Playmobil Children’s Foundation. There, too, we have worked for years with people who make joint projects a genuine pleasure.

And something that fills us with particular pride as a manufacturer: many of our installations are still standing after decades—rich in detail, individually crafted, and robust enough to withstand daily play by thousands of children, even at peak times. That is a compliment to the park’s maintenance and operations—and a reflection of a strong shared history.

Thank you for the trust, the energy, and the partnership. We look forward to the next chapter at Playmobil FunPark Zirndorf.

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This award is also a special success for SIK-Holz. As a project partner, we were able to contribute to making the research trail a high-quality, durable, and experience-oriented place for knowledge transfer. The jury was particularly impressed by the holistic concept, which combines nature experiences, research, and clearly presented exhibition elements.

A shared idea – implemented together

From the initial idea to on-site realization, it was a long journey with many individual steps. Projects like the LassWissen Research Trail can only be achieved through close cooperation between dedicated partners.

We congratulate the Förderverein Naturpark NlH and thank them for their trust and the excellent collaboration.

The award demonstrates how effective thoughtful design, high-quality materials, and a strong educational concept can be when combined. For SIK-Holz, it once again confirms our commitment to developing durable and aesthetically high-quality solutions for nature experience spaces.

We warmly congratulate the entire project team on this success!

Further information about the award and the jury’s statement can be found on the nature park’s website and in the pro agro marketing brochure.

https://naturpark-nlh.de

https://naturpark-nlh.de/fileadmin/user_upload/ProAgro_Marketingbroschuere_2026_150.pdf

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Inside, a varied climbing world awaits, featuring different routes up, small hiding places and lovingly designed play elements. A special highlight is the integrated quiz: in a playful way, children learn fascinating facts about the life of squirrels. To find the correct answers, they must count, search and combine – keeping both body and mind equally engaged.

The adventure continues around the sculpture as well: a versatile climbing and balancing course with different heights and transitions challenges courage, coordination and teamwork.

The installation offers plenty of space for imagination, shared experiences and extended playtime – bringing together movement, learning and adventure in a truly unique way.

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Movement, creativity and adventure come together here. Whether on wheels, on foot or climbing: children and young people find a wide range of opportunities to try things out, let off steam and be active together. The offering is complemented by lovingly designed play equipment made from robinia wood, instantly sparking the imagination. At the heart of the playground is a large climbing and hideaway beet with seating – a meeting place to catch one’s breath, observe and keep on playing.

All around, there is playing, swinging, balancing and splashing: in the sand kitchen, children “cook,” crawl through cucumbers and swing on vegetable spring rockers. The long climbing and balancing course challenges skill and courage, while the zip line and basket swing provide speed, floating moments and feelings of pure joy – a real highlight for young and old alike.

The result is a modern, diverse play and activity space that invites everyone to join in, explore and come back again. At the opening, many children arrived with skates and scooters, joined by the head of the Eimsbüttel district office, Ms Böseler – and immediately turned the playground into what it is meant to be: lively, loud and full of joy.

https://egl-plan.de/projekt/der-topf—der-spielplatz-beim-deckel-2/

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In past years, we were pleased to express our appreciation with a small year-end gift for our customers. This year, however, we made a conscious decision to use this amount differently – and to give something back that is particularly close to our hearts.

Instead of a gift, we donated the allocated funds to the “Pusteblume” Children’s Hospice in Burg.

Why the “Pusteblume” Children’s Hospice?

The work carried out there for seriously ill children and their families has deeply moved us. A children’s hospice is not a place defined solely by farewell. It is a temporary place of refuge – a space where families can find relief, spend time together, and regain strength.

Children with life-limiting illnesses are able to simply be children there. Parents are given the opportunity to breathe, to rest, to let go – or to spend conscious, meaningful time with their child. This freedom to decide what feels right in each moment is invaluable.

What impressed us most is that, despite the difficult circumstances, the children’s hospice is not a place of pure sadness. There is warmth, understanding, laughter, and hope. This experience has profoundly changed our perspective on hospice care.

Taking Responsibility – Together with You

While a large portion of the costs is covered by health insurance, the hospice still depends on donations. Many families would not be able to finance this support on their own. This makes it all the more important that such places continue to exist – and that they are made visible.

That we were able to make this donation is no coincidence. It is also the result of our collaboration with all our customers and partners, their trust, and our shared projects. For this reason, it was important to us to share this initiative with everyone.

Thank You for Your Trust

We sincerely thank all our customers and partners for their trust and cooperative partnership. Together, we can make a difference – not only economically, but also on a human level.

With this donation, we aim to send a clear message: one of compassion, responsibility, and hope.

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Children can try out all the things usually reserved for adults at various play stations: climbing, balancing, building, experimenting, hiding, exploring – and of course, having lots of fun.

One highlight is the giant sand construction site, where kids can move sand, swing shovels, and transport it through pipes. Just like on a real construction site, there’s also a digger to climb on and use for imaginative play. Next to it stands a house to build yourself: with loose stones, walls can be erected, knocked down, and rebuilt into brand-new creations. The finished little house is not only impressive to look at but also serves as a hideout, retreat, or mysterious adventure playground.

Of course, no construction site would be complete without a site container. Here it becomes a covered play area, sparking countless role-play ideas: whether as the site manager’s office, a tool storage room, or a secret meeting spot – imagination knows no limits.

Plenty of balancing, crawling, and climbing elements made of pipes, platforms, and scaffolding ensure movement and action. Children can test their strength and agility while discovering exciting paths over, under, and through the construction site.

In this way, the playground becomes much more than just a place to romp around – it’s a space where children can learn, experiment, and immerse themselves in the thrilling world of builders and construction.

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An event that initially made headlines as the ”worst playground“ in Felgentreu turned into an opportunity: The residents demonstrated what it means to get involved. Together with the community, many dedicated helpers, and our apprentices, a place was created that was redesigned with heart, hands, and great attention to detail.

This project was very special for us at SIK-Holz^®. Our carpentry and sculpting apprentices, in particular, took on responsibility, planned, built, sanded, and reimagined, together with their trainers. They demonstrated not only their craftsmanship, but also team spirit and enthusiasm.

Despite small and large hurdles, the project was completed on time – typical SIK-Holz^®: reliable, sustainable, and with soul.

For us, this playground marks the beginning of our ”We Say Thank You“ initiative. We want to give something back to the region where we have been rooted for over 35 years.

What remains? A vibrant place for children, families, and neighbors. A collaborative effort that demonstrates how much is possible when everyone works together. And the joy of having created something lasting together.

We say: Thank you.

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What no one foresaw at the time: they created much more than play equipment. They created stages where adventures could begin. Spaces for dreams. Places where the big stories of little explorers could unfold.

With reunification came a new chapter – a time of upheaval, uncertainty, and fresh beginnings. While jobs vanished in many places, SIK-Holz became a seedbed for courage and the future. Where insecurity spread, new opportunities emerged. From doubt grew pride.

Our company’s journey reads like a series – three seasons written with heart, hands, and hope:

Season 1: Becoming a global market leader (1988–2001)
Season 2: Becoming scalable and sustainable (2001–2021)
Season 3: Becoming fully professional (since 2021)

Today, more than 240 dedicated people at SIK-Holz^® create far more than just playgrounds. They create places of connection. Spaces for participation. Environments for the future.

Our Vision: People should be able to move and grow through play in public spaces.
Our Mission: Every day, through creative project solutions, we contribute to a livable and sustainable society.

We are proud of our more than 30 international partners, proud of our region – and proud that our stage is far from empty.

Thank you to everyone who continues to write this story with us. The next chapter is about to begin.

SIK-Holz^® – the original. Since 1988. For generations. For stories. For community.

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