Encouraging Outdoor Play
Young kids will love our all-new Little Explorers Nature Play Garden! The immersive play garden is designed to cultivate a sense of excitement and appreciation for nature and is included with general admission and membership.
Let Your Imagination Soar
Children learn to appreciate the environment by interacting with nature on their own terms. Touching a fuzzy leaf, balancing on a log, watching a bee flitting between colorful blooms… all of these actions build motor skills and develop curiosity. Plus, nature play is fun!
Kids, adults, plants and pollinators all co-exist in the Nature Play Garden. Watch as butterflies, birds, bees and other insects delight in this garden. Learn how to share your own nature space with pollinators.
Get up close with bugs during a keeper presentation! Will you come face to face with an Emperor Scorpion? Or maybe a Brazilian Black Tarantula?
Imagine, build, play!
Nature Play at Home
Even the smallest space transformed into a space that promotes nature play can have a significant effect. This Nature Play at Home Guide has some great helpful suggestions for adapting home spaces for nature play. For scavenger hunts, nature science, crafts ideas and more visit our Nature at Home page.
Looking for other local spots that promote play and connection to nature? At our sister zoo, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, there is a wonderful place for children to get out their wiggles and connect to nature. We are talking about Kids’ Trek, a nature-inspired playground complete with ropes, slides, playhouses and a giant climbing tree! It’s free with park admission and open whenever the park is open.