Learning Danish at Skovsøen will be an experience you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
Lunchtime conversation and smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches).
Danish food traditionally offers a variety of meat and potato dishes from Denmark’s agricultural heritage. This tradition carries on, although Danes throughout history have always welcomed foods from other countries, particularly French cuisine. Popular food you’ll see at Skovsøen includes frikadeller (Danish meatballs), smørrebrød (open-face sandwiches) and rødgrød med fløde (traditional Danish pudding).
Singing during storgruppe (morning group time).
We combine traditional Danish games, such as Viking kubb and rundbold, with current trends in outdoor activities. Enhance your Danish language skills while staying active in the beautiful outdoors. You’ll enjoy canoeing, hiking, orienteering, swimming, fishing, water games, volleyball, badminton, soccer and cycling.
Villagers recreating a Hans Christian Andersen story as a puppet show.
Painting, paper crafts, weaving, knitting, cross stitch, woodworking, beading are all activities offered in our arts center, Christiania. At Skovsøen we also enjoy singing, theater, storytelling and dancing.
De cyklende danskere on the trail to Bemidji State Park.
De Cyklende Danskere (The Biking Danes) is an optional adventure program for villagers ages 13-18. Cycling culture is an important part of the Danish lifestyle, whether you live in the city or the country. But Danes especially love to be out in naturen (nature), so Skovsøen offers a group bicycling trip.
Danish connects you with the past. Whether you want to explore your heritage, converse with grandma in her native tongue, or just get an insider’s view of the rich history of northern Europe, at Skovsøen, you’ll learn words, phrases, and the history and traditions of Danish-speaking people as you immerse yourself in a fun, culturally authentic learning environment.
Liz Lis Klages has served as dean of Skøvsoen since 2006. Lis has lived and studied in Denmark and has a Masters in European Studies from SAIS in Bologna, Italy and Washington, DC. She also has her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and currently teaches Political Science in the Twin Cities.