Lightly guided nature play

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.

Tuesdays

10:00 AM - 11:30 PM

Wednesdays

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Misc Weekends

Dates and times vary

July

Tuesday, July 7, 10:00am-11:30am 
Building Like Birds
Gaffield Children's Garden

Wednesday, July 8th, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Building Like Birds
Gaffield Children's Garden

Tuesday, July 14, 10:00am-11:30am 
Snake Week: Snake Clay Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Wednesday, July 15th, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Snake Week: Snake Clay Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Sunday, July 19th, 3:00pm-4:30pm
Snake Week: Snake Clay Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Tuesday, July 21st, 10:00am-11:30am 
Floating & Boating
Gaffield Children's Garden

Wednesday, July 22nd 5:30pm-7:00pm
Floating & Boating
Gaffield Children's Garden

Tuesday, July 28th, 10:00am-11:30am 
Prints & Dye Transfer Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Wednesday, July 29th 5:30pm-7:00pm
Prints & Dye Transfer Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

August

Tuesday, August 4th, 10:00am-11:30am 
Gravity Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Wednesday, August 5th, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Gravity Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Sunday, August 9th, 3:00pm-4:30pm
Gravity Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Tuesday, August 11th, 10:00am-11:30am 
Cutting Garden & Flower Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

Wednesday, August 12th, 5:30pm-7:00pm
Cutting Garden & Flower Play
Gaffield Children's Garden

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!