We consider the work with pre-school and primary school classes as an awareness sensitisation by nature in the widest possible sense and as an important element for the future of the allotment gardens.

And to Mr Punch: hip, hip, hip, hurrah!

The hearts of the children beat faster and their screams lighten up their parents faces. The puppet theatre is of course something very special for the allotment garden associations.

Our project „puppet-theatre“ is the dominating part of the programme of the association „Bühlauer Waldgärten“ e.V. in Dresden/Germany.

Mr Liebe, an allotment gardener, makes the children discover the environment and nature. Every Monday and Tuesday in summer, Mr Punch makes his onstage appearance for pre-school and primary school classes.
The children are delighted to catch the environment „polluter“ and learn to say „please“ and „thank you“.
Punch, Judy, Toby and the robber appear in six scenes and make over 2000 children happy every year.
The crocodile isn’t killed, he goes back to the zoo where he escaped from. And also the robber isn’t really a bad person, whilst trying to get rid of this domestic waste in the woods. Judy and the young spectators show him how to do it correctly, so he doesn’t get a blueberry cake thrown in his face.

Mr. Liebe is an allotment gardener since 36 years. Since 8 years he is trying with a lot of enthusiasm and teaching skills to get the children away from TV and disreputable games. Every year he produces a new play. At the end of the season, this enthusiast of Mister Punch prepares his „winter tour“ through nursery garden and primary school classes in Dresden.

Since May 2004, the project “green classes” is used by the pre-school classes of the school „Am Hochwald“ as complement to the puppet theatre.
In the school and demonstration garden the children get to know with the help of the technical advisors of the allotment garden association the process of development of nature from planting/ sowing up to harvesting and get aware of an ecological behaviour.

„The joy and the emotions of the puppet theatre“

Wolfgang Schmidt
1. In charge of the allotment garden association „Bühlauer Waldgärten“ e.V.