Ohio Arboretum Offers Wild Child Wonders
(Cleveland) Plain Dealer – June 05, 2008
By Roxanne Washington
Parents, here's a chance to peel your kids' fingers away from Nintendo DS gadgets, divert their attention from the Disney Channel and reintroduce them to the birds, bees, flowers and trees after a long, erratic winter and spring.
The Holden Arboretum in Kirtland kicks summer off with "Wild Child Wonders," a program encouraging kids and parents to get outdoors and soak up some nature.
The idea is to turn off the video games, bring your imagination, enjoy the outdoors and relax in a safe and fun environment, says Holden media coordinator Daniel Rush.
Beginning Saturday, and running all summer, Holden will offer four Wonder Stations geared toward simple outdoor pleasures. On Saturday, opening day, all kids 12 and younger will be admitted free.
This special program is grounded in the "No Child Left Inside" idea adapted from Richard Louv's book "Last Child in the Woods -- Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" (Powell's Books, $24.95), emphasizing the benefits of unstructured play in the outdoors.
Holden's four Wonder Stations include:
Meadow Wonders. Roll down a hill, dig in the dirt, weave plants on a giant loom and see how grasshoppers jump. Meadow Wonders connects kids with the adventures many can find in their own back yards.
Garden Wonders. This area features secret plant hideaways built by expert Holden craftsmen. Children will be able to climb in and out of these plant structures and really get inside nature. Also, they will be able to use a hand pump to water flowers and even design and become a giant human-sized butterfly.
Water Wonders. At Holden's Corning Lake, kids can try to catch a frog, sail a boat and see all of the amazing things that water can do. Although there is no swimming in Corning Lake, this is a structured and safe area where kids have the chance to get a little wet.
Forest Wonders. Conquer the tree obstacle course, build a shelter with sticks or search under logs. This wondrous section brings children into the woods for an up-close look at nature's natural bounty. Kids can even explore a cabin and see what's new at Buckeye Bud's Discovery Tower. There is something new for guests of all ages.
Parents are advised to dress kids in clothes you don't mind getting dirty.
Holden, 9500 Sperry Road in Kirtland, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Admission is free for members; $6 for nonmembers; $5 for seniors 60 years and older (seniors are free on Tuesdays); $3 for children 6 to 12; and free for ages 5 and younger.
For more information and directions, go to www.holdenarb.org, or call 440-946-4400.
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C&NN has designated April "Children & Nature Awareness Month." As part of this effort, we invited network members (like you) to list their April programs and share their strategies for building public awareness. Find out what's happening in your community on the C&NN Movement Map.
As part of our ongoing efforts to build the movement, the Children & Nature Network has published two new resources for leaders, organizers, and participants at the local, national, and international levels:
An annotated bibliography of 20 premier studies focusing on the children and nature connection.
