Become a Treasure Hunter at the Kinderhotel Stegerhof Hotel

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Gernot knows what lies beneath their feet
Suddenly, you see minerals everywhere
From a Found Object to a Personal Memento
A whole day focused on one thing
Conclusion

“Look! Is that one it?”
Gernot probably hears this question quite often while searching for garnet crystals. Because as soon as the kids know what they’re looking for, every rock suddenly becomes interesting. They pick it up, turn it over, examine it from all angles, and compare it to their other finds.

What starts out as a perfectly ordinary walk through nature around the Stegerhof in Styria quickly turns into a real family adventure.

Gernot knows what lies beneath their feet

Gernot knows the minerals around the Stegerhof very well. He knows which minerals can be found here and how they were formed. But when he’s out and about with families, it’s about much more than just garnet crystals.

One crystal leads to the next question: How did it actually form? Why does it look the way it does? What effect did the water have on it? How has the landscape changed?

Gernot can answer these questions because his knowledge extends far beyond geology. He knows the forest, the water, the animals, and the fish, and can connect many of these elements.

For the children, it doesn’t feel like a lesson. They’re out and about, surrounded by Styria’s nature, holding the rocks in their own hands, and free to ask questions whenever they want.

And sometimes it’s just exciting to listen to Gernot as he tells stories about what happened here in this landscape a long time ago.

Suddenly, you see minerals everywhere

After a short while, your perspective changes.

Where there used to be a path, there are now interesting minerals. A stream is no longer just a stream, but perhaps the very place where water has shaped the rock over a long period of time. And an ordinary walk turns into a quest.

There are various minerals to discover, some more striking, others rather inconspicuous. Over time, the children learn to look more closely.

Until eventually, one actually turns up: a garnet crystal.

Then there’s great joy—after all, they found it all by themselves.

From a Found Object to a Personal Memento

But the treasure hunt isn't over yet. In the afternoon, it continues at the Stegerhof, where there's a dedicated room for polishing the minerals.

Now, the find is transformed into a personal keepsake.

The children can polish their own crystal and watch as its surface changes, gradually revealing what lies within. Each child gets to take a polished crystal home. Parents can also work on the minerals they found.

This way, the find doesn’t just end up lying around in a pants pocket. It becomes a little souvenir that you’ll still remember where it came from later on. Some children build entire collections of them, never missing an opportunity to polish.

Not from a store, but from nature. Found by themselves and polished by themselves.

A whole day focused on one thing

Mineral Hunting as a Family Experience: The program is designed for children ages five and up. Together with their parents , they discover the world of minerals.
Out and about in the morning: Together, they search, discover, compare, and collect. Every find can be something special.
In the afternoon, it’s time for polishing: The stones they’ve found are further processed, giving them a whole new meaning.
Many little moments of discovery: A child finds a special rock and proudly shows it to the others. Another find is set aside because it turns out not to be what they were looking for after all.
Discovering for themselves: Gernot doesn’t just show the children which stones can be used; he encourages them to look more closely and figure out for themselves what they’re looking at.
What remains: The joy of discovering things for themselves and asking questions.

Conclusion

It's about more than just minerals: exploring together as a family, staying curious, and taking a closer look for yourself. Experiences in nature that will stay with you forever.