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Blog Entries - Child Directed Play

The Magic of the PlayScape
by Abbie Rinehart, Member The Cincinnati Nature PlayScape is a magical place to inspire wonder and curiosity in children and relaxation in their parents. We first discovered the PlayScape just after it opened 10 years

Growing Up in Nature
by CB, a staff member Long before I came to work at Cincinnati Nature Center, I grew up here. As a kid, a neighbor would frequently bring me and my best friend (her daughter) to the Nature Center. We’d tell stories

At Home with Nature: Nest Building (Ages 2-5)
Children can have lots of fun mimicking the creativity of birds and building with natural objects! You’ll need: A nature space to find building materials and an “egg” (a stone, pinecone, or other egg-shaped

At Home with Nature: Mud Kitchen (Ages 2-5)
You’ll need: Old kitchen utensils, a pile of soil, and a bin of water. Optional extras: Paper and markers to make your own menu. Mix the water and soil together, either in the bin or on the ground, and let your

The Power of Hmmm
By Anne Horne, Trailside Experience Coordinator “Mommy, will you play with me”? In my house, this request is common and it used to be followed by a quiet pause from me. It wasn’t that I