Connecting to Nature through Nature Play
AZA's Nature Play Task Force (NPTF) comprises AZA and Disney staff, education leaders at AZA members, and partners from Children & Nature Network and the North American Association of Environmental Education has developed a variety of resources to facilitate program implementation. Click on the links below to navigate to or download these materials.
Free Webinar Resources
In partnership with Children & Nature Network, AZA presents a professional development webinar series for informal educators offering and managing nature play programs and spaces. These webinars feature case studies from within the field as well as experts in the nature play movement, such as Cheryl Charles, Ph.D., co-founder and President and CEO Emerita of the Children & Nature Network. To view webinars, please log on to the AZA network.
AZA Toolkit: Family Nature Clubs & You
The purpose of this toolkit, Family Nature Clubs & You: Zoos and Aquariums Connecting Families to Nature, is to provide information, resources and best practices - and even inspiration - to zoos and aquariums that are interested in creating or supporting a Family Nature Club. This toolkit was developed by drawing on the ideas and experiences of numerous experts in the field, including many AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums that implement family-based nature programming. The toolkit provides examples of ways to organize and host events both on and off zoo and aquarium grounds, as well as ideas for collaborating with and supporting existing Family Nature Clubs.
Family Nature Clubs & You is a publication of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and is based on the Children & Nature Network's Nature Clubs for Families Toolkit. Visit the C&NN Natural Families Network to learn more and find a local Family Nature Club near you.
E-Guide for Families
For more in-depth support of families needing guidance on how to engage in nature play, AZA worked with the Children & Nature Network to design this E-Guide for Families, which addresses 5 reasons, 5 ways, 5 places, and 5 times to connect and play in nature. The e-guide is designed to be used in a digital format with multiple hyperlinks embedded that point the user to research, additional materials and websites for more information.
Pathways to Play: Overcoming Nature Play Barriers
This infographic highlights the benefits of playing in nature and proposes ways to think differently about the challenges, with a focus on using AZA-accredited zoos & aquariums as places where nature play begins. It is available for promoting nature play in publications, websites, exhibits, and training.
Click the thumbnail to enlarge and save the jpg version or download Pathways to Play PDF
AZA's Nature Clubs Advisory Group used input from the participants of the September 2014 workshop on Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium to address barriers to nature play from two perspectives: that of families who find it difficult in today's world to incorporate nature play into their schedules, and that of educators struggling to implement nature play programming at their zoos and aquariums. Graphic design by Lab42.
Children in Nature
AZA recognizes the role that zoos and aquariums can play in the Children in Nature Movement. The Conservation Education Committee's "Experiencing Nature" initiative hopes to increase recognition by visitors that our institutions provide programs and experiences that connect children to nature. Visit the Children and Nature Network to explore ways your zoo or aquarium can help support this effort.
Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium
Seven years after this ground-breaking AZA-led initiative supported by The Walt Disney Company to provide financial, logistical, and creative support for AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums to create, establish or enhance family-centered nature play experiences in their communities, Nature Play Begins is now a member-led initiative with Nature Play Leaders continuing to provide resources to the AZA community.
2014 - 2017 Grant Awards
Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium began in 2014 with the support from The Walt Disney Company to remove barriers for families to engage with nature in their communities. Through this partnership, AZA was able to provide accredited zoos and aquariums with a myriad of resources that included grant opportunities, webinars, toolkits, e-guides, and leadership programs.
Nature Play Begins at Your Zoo & Aquarium grants were awarded to AZA-accredited institutions to create and expand opportunities to connect families to nature. These grant funds were used to establish or enhance programs, build nature play spaces, increase accessibility with transportation and admission support, and build partnerships with community organizations to reach new audiences and extend the nature play beyond the zoo or aquarium visit.
141 grants were awarded from 2014 to 2017 to AZA-accredited institutions totaling $990,000.