TOLEDO — Albert Einstein once said: “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything
better.”
Put local children on the path to understanding early by attending the Play Naturally Toledo event
series, now through mid-November.
Play Naturally Toledo is a family-oriented outdoor play program that is funded through two grants from
the Toledo Community Foundation; a Community Funds Grant to fund the program and a Community Funds
Accelerator Grant to fund the program’s evaluation. PNT is a collaborative program between the Toledo
Zoo, Metroparks of the Toledo Area, the 577 Foundation, Mosaic Ministries and Bowling Green State
University to promote family nature play in our community. PNT partners help create safe play
environments to encourage imaginative, wholesome, child-directed play where children have control over
every aspect of their play environment while adult caregivers act as facilitators and encouragers.
According to the zoo’s curator of education, Mitch Magdich, several studies show that play time in nature
promotes physical and emotional well-being and healthy social interaction, stimulates higher level
thinking, enhances connectedness to nature and encourages environmentally-friendly attitudes.
Here is the full schedule of 2016 Play Naturally Toledo events with locations and times.
Saturday 1-3 p.m. at Swan Creek Metropark (Airport Highway entrance)
April 30, 1-3 p.m. at the Toledo Zoo, Nature’s Neighborhood
May 21, 1:30-4 p.m. at the 577 Foundation, Perrysburg
June 10, 5-7:30 p.m. at the Toledo Zoo, Nature’s Neighborhood
July 8, 2-4 p.m. at Side Cut Metropark
July 16, 1:30-4 p.m. at the 577 Foundation, Perrysburg
Aug. 13, 1:30-4 p.m. at the 577 Foundation, Perrysburg
Aug. 26, 1-3 p.m. at Pearson Metropark (Packer-Hammersmith Center)
Sept. 16, 1-3 p.m. at Sidecut Metropark (Riverview Shelter area)
Oct. 14, 1-3 p.m. at the Toledo Zoo, Nature’s Neighborhood
Nov. 18, 1:30-4 p.m. at the 577 Foundation, Perrysburg
Thanks to a grant from the Toledo Community Foundation, the cost for families to participate is only $1
per person. To register, visit toledozoo.org/family-programs.
Pre-registration is preferred; however, walk-ins are also welcome.
For the Nature’s Neighborhood program, the fee does not cover admission costs at the zoo. Participants
must purchase a ticket or enter on a membership.