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Blog Entries - Play

A young blonde girl and a younger blonde boy peek out from a wooden structure. The girl is wearing a green coat and the boy is wearing a blue coat.

The Magic of the PlayScape

August 2, 2021  |  Child Directed Play, Growing Up in Nature, Kids, Kids Activities, Nature, Nature Learning, Outdoor Play, Play, 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

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Photo of a white woman looking at the camera. She has long brown hair framing her face and is wearing a green shirt. A taxidermy skunk is being held in front of her face.
Me, as a volunteer at a station about skunks

Growing Up in Nature

July 21, 2021  |  Child Directed Play, Children's Saturday Programs, CincyNature Camp, Growing Up in Nature, Kids, Kids Activities, Long Branch Farm & Trails, Nature, Nature Learning, Outdoor Play, Play, PlayScape, Trails

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

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supplies needed to fish for leaves

At Home with Nature: Fishing the Old Fashioned Way (Ages 5-12)

March 30, 2020  |  Ages 5-12, At Home Activities for Kids, At Home with Nature, Home School Activity, Kids, Kids Activities, Nature, Nature Learning, Outdoor Play, Play

Pretend fishing is a fun way to get children outside and practicing their concentration. Younger children may need supervision and help to make sure they are playing safely and having

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nest in tree

At Home with Nature: Nest Building (Ages 2-5)

March 30, 2020  |  Ages 2-5, At Home Activities for Kids, At Home with Nature, Child Directed Play, Kids, Kids Activities, Nature, Nature Learning, Outdoor Play, Play

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

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supplies to make nature weave

At Home with Nature: Nature Weaving (Ages 5-12)

March 26, 2020  |  Ages 5-12, At Home Activities for Kids, At Home with Nature, Home School Activity, Kids, Kids Activities, Nature, Nature Learning, Outdoor Play, Play

You’ll need: Cardboard, scissors, tape, and yarn. Children may need help making their loom. Optional extras: Markers to decorate the

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The Power of Hmmm

The Power of Hmmm

August 24, 2016  |  Child Directed Play, Kids, Nature, Play, PlayScape

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

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