An elf and his helpers meet at the edge of the woods. They are the principle figures in the exhibition «Enchanted Forest» and lead the children from one theme to another. All by themselves, the children get to know the forest by means of a three-dimensional life-size picture book. The scenery is fantastic and magical. It contains touch, visual and hearing «windows» which portray the various themes in a realistic way. Children can learn many interesting facts about the forest and are encouraged to visit and discover the real forest together with their parents, grandparents, godparents, teachers or other experts.

The enchanted forest consists of five rooms, each displaying a different theme and some secondary themes. They are connected to each other by holes enabling the children to slip through from one to another. At the edge of the forest where the exhibition begins, children can learn, for example, something about how trees vary greatly in appearance, from the roots to the leaves. In room two, the theme takes a look at what happens below ground where the trees are anchored. Here there are fascinating things to discover, such as the groundwater which is of vital importance, not only for trees. When night falls in room three, animals and plants impress the onlookers by their sense of smell and powers of orientation in the dark. Of course, the theme regarding the variety of foods which both animals and humans obtain from the forest must not be missed. In the last room, all the many fairytales, legends and stories about the forest and its inhabitants are on display. The Open-Air Museum Ballenberg hopes that the (adult) world is now ready to listen to new stories from the children themselves.