Fall is my favorite time of the year to get outdoors and explore the woods with the kids. On a sunny, crisp afternoon, there is nothing better than getting some fresh air with the kiddos! Our recent Sunday called for nature time, so we headed to Cincinnati Nature Center in Milford.
Before heading out to the Marge & Charles Schott Nature PlayScape – where natural features are designed for open-ended, creative play – we stopped at the nearby picnic tables to get our bellies full. Conveniently, the bathroom was right outside the shelter to clean up before and after our tasty lunch. The PlayScape is the perfect spot for kids to enjoy nature. Rather then just trekking through the woods, there are opportunities to stop and play at one of the many nature zones along the way. The kids really felt like independent explorers, and mommy got her steps in, too!
The first stop was the fort building zone with logs and branches setup for building forts, fires – you name it. The kids could have spent hours there! Will, my 8 year old, was impressed on how well he “built” a shelter he can actually lay in. My youngest, Eva, did what a typical social 3-year-old would do – she made a friend and created an adorable “fairy house.” The amount of creative play here was astonishing and made this mama feel refreshed. There is also the messy Mud Zone we LOVE – mostly when it’s warmer outside. It’s the messiest fun your kids will ever have, with the freedom to get muddy! Afterward, we rinsed off with the available fountains and moved on. Bring an extra change of clothes!
Next stop was the stream, which is off for this chilly season, but the kids still loved walking on the rocks, and exploring the bridges and surrounding ponds. We then spotted an old cabin, so we continued on our journey.
The kids were able to go in, out and around the real historic Abner Hollow Pioneer Cabin originally built by pioneer settler in Adams County, Oh in the early 1800s! Along the trail, the kids had a blast using a brush to play detective and find animal tracks, too. Moving on, the Will and Eva took turns investigating the mysterious animal tracks along our walk.
Cincinnati Nature Center has more where this came from – host your kids’ next birthday bash, take advantage of the Nature Center’s seasonal events, hike along one of the many trails and tons more! Cincinnati Nature Center is located at 4949 Tealtown Road, Milford, Oh. For more details, visit cincynature.org. Click here for a brochure of suggested party activities in the Nature PlayScape!