Before I came to work at Katica Tanya, I was a primary school teacher in the capital for 20 years. Every four years, we would take my leaving-year classes to Patca so we could all have one last good time together. It never failed to be a success. Katica Tanya was always the very best; it was very difficult to find anywhere better, and after a while we stopped looking altogether… As a teacher, I always looked at the programmes through a different lens to the average person. Katica Tanya is a children’s paradise with a very well-structured programme. Its range of activities, which caters to every need, is grouped around four main themes: farming, crafts, preserving traditions and nature studies. Within this wide range, every class teacher or colleague organising a school trip can find the activity best suited to their particular group of children. Because every group is different; no two are the same.

Programmes relating to farming:

It features what are perhaps the most popular activities amongst children from both large cities and smaller towns. They rarely get to see farm animals in real life. After spending time at Katica Farm, it becomes second nature to them to animals and the work that goes with them. After a few days, they are welcomed as acquaintances and are seen as a bit of their own, and this reinforces a sense of responsibility towards the other creature. They can participate in animal care (feeding, watering, fertilising, health checks).
They can learn how to milk a cow and marvel at the taste and texture of the warm milk straight from the udder. They can gain an insight into how a working farm operates and realise that eggs and milk don’t „just appear” on the shop shelves, but are the result of hard work.
Horse riding is also available for groups in the beautiful, sun-drenched meadow, with the assistance of our expert riders.

Programmes promoting traditional customs:

A great deal depends on teachers in this regard. As Ferenc Sebő said:
„Our traditions can only be preserved if we live them.” Katica Tanya is a great help in this regard.
Our most popular traditional activity is baking bread and langalló. Through their own hands-on work, the children can experience just how difficult and labour-intensive this used to be for the women of the past. From lighting the oven, through kneading the dough, right through to shaping the loaves and baking them. Every group can enjoy the well-deserved fruits of their labour – fresh, warm, crispy bread and langalló – and perhaps they’ll start to look at the piles of bread thrown away in bin bags („we’ll buy fresh bread tomorrow”) in a different light.

Another mainstay of our heritage programmes is the event entitled ‘In the Footsteps of Medieval Knights’. The knights of the Fehér Holló medieval workshop invite visitors on a truly exhilarating journey through time at the knight’s castle. The girls also enjoy trying on the knights’ costumes and watching the weapon demonstrations. The historical facts, which are illustrated through live demonstrations, are more effectively etched into the children’s memories. 
You can have a go at archery and throwing throwing stars. These are all traditional forms of weaponry, which you can either master or at least gain some proficiency in. 
Fun folk games are the third most popular traditional activity at Katica Farm. 
Young people today can discover that it’s perfectly possible to have a brilliant time under the bright blue sky without a computer, mobile phone or tablet – using nothing more than a walnut or an egg. An activity that fosters a sense of community and develops empathy, which is also enjoyed by older age groups. 

Craft workshops:

Our craft workshops mainly focus on long-forgotten activities and the use of natural materials. 
Anyone can try their hand at making felted items from the wool of sheep stroked in the pasture. You can craft objects and gifts from clay, a natural material. How did people write with quill pens in the old days? It wasn’t that easy, was it!! How can you „make” toys and ornaments from wood? You can make your own unique T-shirt using batik, or learn the secrets of knotting and braiding. You can make leather jewellery, work with wax, and, last but not least, create everyday items from PET in the spirit of reuse. 
The list isn’t exhaustive… but one thing’s for sure! Everyone can push the boundaries of their own creativity and let their hidden talents take flight!

Nature study programmes:

If the class is a bit lively, then let’s go on a night-time hike! You’re guaranteed to sleep soundly afterwards! With the help of our guide, who knows the forests of Zselic very well, you can experience what a real, light-pollution-free Zselic forest is like. You’ll be able to hear the nocturnal rustling of wildlife and even collect useful plants along the way. 
You can enjoy stargazing through a telescope, learn to read maps using a compass and an orienteering map, or simply discover the tree species, animal habitats and folklore of the Somogy region. 
We also provide walking trails if you’d like to explore the area for yourselves!

Eco-awareness:

Katica Tanya is the environmental awareness He lives his daily life in this spirit. We would like our children to grow up in this spirit too. They need to know that we have not inherited our planet, but have merely been lent it. Our two fantastic programmes aim to broaden and deepen their existing knowledge on this topic.
We can guide primary school pupils towards environmentally conscious shopping through interactive games, puzzles and tips on reusing items.
We introduce upper-school pupils to the world of renewable energy sources, sustainable development and the ecological footprint. 

If none of these take your fancy (though I doubt it ), then just come along and let the Adventure Centre take you on a wild ride! You’ll see that even without a set programme, you won’t get bored with all the slides, bouncy castles, shooting galleries, go-karts (and even more extra attractions from spring 2018)!

Because………. THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON HERE! We look forward to welcoming everyone! 
On behalf of the Katica Tanya team: Vanda Tinusz, programme organiser and host