Games, Fun, and Mystical Stories

Elm, the small village in the canton of Glarus is known for family vacations, be it for skiing fun in winter or exciting summer activities. For our day on the mountain, we park our car at the “Sportbahnen” and take the gondola up to Ämpächli.

A huge playground right by the mountain stationOnce at the top, a true play paradise opens up before our eyes. The little ones can’t get out of their amazement and at first don’t know where to start. But as soon as the plan is set, the fun can begin: First they go up and down the giant slide, then they practice acrobatic jumps on the trampoline, which is fortunately secured with nets and protective straps. Then they clamber over the giant blocks on the various climbing obstacles before exploring the giant bowling alley and showing off their balancing skills on the slacklines.

Of course, we – well, the kids – could spend the whole day in this paradise full of games and fun. There is also the “Bergrestaurant Ämpächli” just next to the restaurant. It’s family-friendly place with a spacious terrace. But we decide to do the “Giant’s Forest” adventure trail and have our picnic there.

Following the Traces of Martin, the GiantWe enter the “Giant’s Forest” through a gate and climb through Martin’s large footprint. Next to the first barbecue area there is a fun obstacle course that my kids and husband absolutely have to test. We continue our way and discover the “Upside-Down House” and learn about the history behind it. Another stop on the adventure trail is the “Ear Tree” – where my little ones didn’t need a second invitation to climb up, put their ears close to the holes and listen to the stories of giant grandma Martina.

After the herb garden, your eyesight is tested: If you look down into the forest, you may discover the face of the giant. It’s not as easy as it seems. After looking hard and concentrating we finally recognize the contours of Martin’s face.

Picnic in Grandma Martina’s KitchenHalfway, we discover a sweet little house right next to the big barbecue area – it’s the school for little giants. There is also a lithophone made of stone, where we test our musical talent. A little further along the way and we arrive at our favorite barbecue place, where we make ourselves comfortable for lunch. This stop is called “Grandma Martina’s Kitchen”, a super cute old kitchen with everything you might imagine a kitchen for giants must have. There are even oversized benches and tables. After the picnic, the children play with the zip line and we continue our way down the adventure trail, where we lie down in Martin’s giant hammock and leave him a written message in the guest book at the end.

Along the trail there are various fireplaces, all equipped with firewood and benches. Families can take a break at any time, have a snack, and then continue to explore the adventure trail.

Back to the valley on scooters

To finish this eventful day in all its glory, we decide to ride downhill on the rented scooters. We’ve wanted to do a scooter tour with the kids for a long time, and the Scooters in Elm are ideal for it. They are so big that the kids have enough room to stand in front and hold onto the bar. The ride was so much fun, and the view simply breathtaking.

We will definitely come back again. Next time, however, we are planning at least a two-day trip. Because there is simply too much to see and experience. For the overnight stay, the Sports Hostel HängeMatt is a great place for kids. The family-friendly active hostel offers single to multi-bed rooms at fair prices. It also has a cozy lounge where children and adults discover the books in the library, play darts, billiards, or mini-ping-pong.

Tips and links Children’s Region

• “Giant’s Forest” Adventure Trail
• Mountain Restaurant Ampächli with Children’s Playland
• Mountain Cart and Scooter Fun Elm
• Stay at the Sports Hostel HängeMatt
• Audio Trail Elm-Schwanden
• Circular Walk on Elm Springs Trail