AHA! A Hands-On Adventure, A Children’s Museum in Lancaster, Ohio is hard at play creating a new nature playscape. We are pleased to share their plan with you. They start work this month and hope to have it completed in June of 2018 so you know how exciting it must be there right now. Working with playscape designer Amy Dutt of Urban Wild, Ltd they have created a unique environment for play by:
- acknowledging the regional history by including a covered bridge, which are common in the area
- creating a canal boat and using canal stones from the Hocking River where the museum is located
- cooperating with a nearby wetland restoration project for the city of Lancaster that will help with water quality and stormwater runoff.
Most important of all, they are creating a space where children can connect to nature through play. Building early relationships to nature and community through play has lasting benefits. The downstream payoff can be huge. And in this case, because of their commitment to the environment, the downstream benefits are literal.
We are glad that they heard about the work of the Children at Play Network and contacted us. We look forward to having one or more of their team members join us for a Children at Play Network teacher training institute in June.
[If you are involved in a project that increases opportunities for people to connect to nature through play we would love to help share your story.]