Movie Park

First seal of quality for an entertainment park: / Family Minister comments: - "Unique in Germany"

Top marks for Movie Park: The "OK for Kids" seal of quality. The first seal of quality for a child-friendly entertainment park has gone to North Rhine-Westphalia: the German Association for the Protection of Children (DKSB), together with TÜV NORD, today awarded the "OK for Kids" seal of approval to the Wonderland Studios in the Movie Park Germany in Bottrop-Kirchhellen. 

"The new seal of approval provides special recognition for child-friendly leisure activities" said the Vice President of the German Association for the Protection of Children (DKSB), Marlis Herterich, who today introduced the new system together with the Family Minister for North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet. "Up to now the problem has always been that parents never knew exactly what to expect when they visited an entertainment park with their children for the first time.

But all that has changed.
The new "OK for Kids" seal of quality provides a guide for parents, pointing them in the direction of child-friendly leisure activities". NRW Family Minister Laschet in turn spoke of "an important step towards a child-friendly society". For when it comes to the "OK for Kids" certification, the needs and interests of children are the only thing that matters. "And that is unique in Germany", said Laschet.

	In Bottrop, NRW Family Minister Armin Laschet (center left), the German Association for the Protection of Children, TÜV NORD CERT awarded the new "OK for Kids" certificate to Movie Park Germany. Photo: DKSB

The DKSB and TÜV NORD worked on the development of strict criteria for the entertainment and leisure park check for one whole year  – and considered very many different items: from special children's menus to child-friendly games and equipment: "And it is not only the various aspects of active entertainment which are important - breaks and relaxation matter as well. That is why we also focused on optimum quiet areas and chill-out zones for children, and of course on the quality of the staff who look after them", said the President of the DKSB in North Rhine-Westphalia, Friedhelm Güthoff. The two organisations also placed considerable importance on the provision of barrier-free children's areas and attractive games and activities which give due weight to the requirements of children with special needs.

"A further very important aspect is the food on offer. Even if it is not possible to avoid sweets completely when children are enjoying a day out, a tempting selection of healthy and balanced meals and snacks should also be available", continued Güthoff. Neither did the "OK für Kids" inspectors forget the food requirements of religious and ethnic minorities. "Areas for nappy changing and breast feeding, a first-aid service with optimum facilities for children, toilets which are easy for children to use and suggestion boxes for kids - our checklist for organisations who wish to be considered for the "OK for Kids" seal of approval is very long indeed", emphasised Güthoff.

Following intensive inspection by TÜV NORD, Movie Park Germany in Bottrop-Kirchhellen was found to fulfil the strict criteria - from attractive offerings for groups of schoolchildren and young people up to child-friendly planting and green areas. "Preparing for the inspection has certainly meant additional investment - but we were happy to do it. We are proud to have set the standard for the entire leisure sector" commented  Movie Park Director Andreas Stickel.

And as Marlis Herterich, Vice President of the DKSB concluded: "With the "OK for Kids" seal of quality we are providing a stimulus for provision of more child-friendly services and products in Germany. In fact we have set the framework for a competition where the winners are already clear - the children themselves".