Nature Explorers

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” —Aristotle

Explore plants and animals up close in the Backyard and the Fantasy Forest to get a new appreciation for all the gifts Mother Nature has provided us!

Things to Do: 
  • Complete puzzles to activate time-lapse videos of bean sprouts, sunflowers, and grass.
  • Dig in play dirt to find worms, spiders, ants, and pill bugs.
  • Sniff the scents of the herb garden.
  • Watch the life cycle of butterflies, frogs, and damselflies.
  • Examine grass, feathers, bark, and fur close up on a magnifying screen.
  • Disappear into a landscape by wearing a camouflage cape.
  • Discover how birds use beaks for tools.
  • Play “I Spy” on a play dock or in the boat on the play pond.
  • Read books in the Goose Nest.
  • View the recycling processes for glass, aluminum, paper, and plastic.
  • Create a pretend animal by mixing and matching heads bodies, legs, feet, wings, and tails.
  • Follow animal footprints to find where animals live.
  • Peek through knotholes in the giant tree.
  • Dress up as pond animals and swim, hop, or walk through the forest.
Learning Outcomes: 
  • Use their imaginations to play out both familiar and unfamiliar roles and experiences.
  • Use senses to explore and observe materials and natural phenomena.
  • Investigate and categorize living and non living things in the environment.
  • Explore and understand life cycles.
  • Explore and understand recycling concepts.
  • Cooperate with other visitors in allocating and sharing materials.

Underwritten by HSBC - North America, with additional support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services