Matthaei Botanical Gardens is hosting free, hands-on Nature Play Pop-ups! Young children will have hands-on fun while taking a closer look at nature, and parents will leave with easy ideas to encourage creative nature play at home. No registration, free event. First to arrive, first to play. Kids can join in as spaces open during the pop-ups. Suggested ages 3-7.  Please note, all materials stay unless otherwise specified.

Childhood outdoor play is supportive of healthy child development, the internalizing of pro-Earth behaviors, and provides deep opportunities for powerful self-directed learning. MBGNA’s Nature Play Pop-ups are lightly hosted opportunities to engage with some of our specially curated natural loose parts and other accessible objects of open-ended, creative play.

Nature Play Pop-ups are opportunities for children across ages and developmental stages to engage deeply, based on their own interests, curiosity, and developmental stages. For example, while some older children may be using our collections of natural loose parts to intently create a specific habitat, other children will be engaging in developmentally appropriate play of taking all the petals off the flowers in our loose parts collections. While some children will tenaciously experiment to create the largest bubbles, other children will be nearby splashing in the slippery solution. All ways of playing are good & welcome Nature Play! Come play outside with us!