Wild Child Nature Play

Let’s face it, children these days seem to spend less and less time outdoors. If they do, more often than not, it is in a very structured setting. Join our new Wild Child Nature Playgroup where children will not only play outdoors, but will have opportunity to connect with nature. The stage will be set for young children to have a wild time interacting with nature in a natural setting.

The idea behind true nature play is to give children the opportunity to initiate play on their own terms. They decide what to play with, when to switch gears, and when to walk away from an activity. Of course, if their play environment just happens to be outdoors in a natural setting with plenty of natural materials on hand, that’s even better.

In recent years, the benefits of unstructured playtime outdoors have become apparent.

·         Fresh air and outdoor activities promote physical well being.

·         Nature play promotes increased creativity and better concentration

·         Life-long conservation values are formed when time is spent outdoors in natural settings.

Our Wild Child Nature Play experience will include outdoor activity stations along with some indoor projects. Weather may determine how much time is spent outdoors, but there will always be alternate indoor nature activities if the weather is inclement. The format will be such that children will have play options that will encourage them make their own choices and be creative. The fact that there will be other young children around will give them opportunity to develop friendships and learn to get along, share, and take turns.

Another important aspect of nature play is frequency. Nature play on a repetitive basis proves to instill life-long values and memories. With all this in mind we are offering two four-week sessions of our Wild Child Nature Playgroup this fall on Wednesdays, 9-10 am for children 5 years and younger with an adult.

If you can’t make our weekday program, then join us for Wee Wilderness Weekends! These Saturday morning programs are designed for children ages 2-4 with an adult. They will take place once each month from 9:30-10:30 am. Each month will focus on a new nature topic and include lots of nature play and outdoor exploration.

Click here to register!