My family and I have lived in Schaffhausen since 2013, when we moved from the Netherlands. I have two boys, aged 6 and 9 who attend the International School of Schaffhausen and we love to explore the local area.

In the summer, obviously, we love to jump into the river and float down to the restaurant in Alt Paradises from Petriwiese, one of the barbecue areas by the Rhein. Or alternatively, we go to Diessenhofen and float back to Altparadies.

In the winter, however, we still like to spend as much time as possible outdoors, albeit not swimming in the river. One of our favourite biking routes is through the Schaerewald forest to the fireplaces next to the Rhein. Here, the boys can enjoy exploring the forest and the river and then make a fire to cook sausages and marshmallows for dessert!

For something a little different,  we take a trip on the local ferry from Paradies to Büsingen. We then walk along the Rhein to Schaffhausen where we enjoy a pizza before heading home. Our family also play our part in supporting the local environment by becoming eco warriors in the local area. We head out with our bags and litter pickers to collect the rubbish we find in the local barbecue areas along the Rhein around the Kloisters.
When we’re not walking or biking, we are at the local playgrounds. One of the boys’ favourites is the Munot because they can do everything. We can take the bikes, have a race, play football and basketball, all before enjoying time on the playground. It is a place where we can go and enjoy a fun afternoon.
For something indoors, we head to the bowling centre at Thayngen. The boys love it here and they have a dinosaur tail for the little ones to use to help them. It’s also a great place to have a birthday party, especially in Winter as they enjoy the bowling and then you can have the party there as well.