An early childhood center in Muncie is hoping to get kids outside by building a new nature education area. IPR’s Thomas Ouellette reports on the grant-funded Wonder Woods.

The YMCA of Muncie is using a $500,000 grant from Early Learning Indiana to build an outdoor facility at its Mitchell Early Childhood and Family Center. Officials say kids won’t just learn about nature, but can be an active part of it.

The constructed forest will take up more than 4 acres of land and include a wide number of activities for children to learn and play in, such as trees designed for climbing and naturally made obstacle courses.

Children less than a year old wont be left out either as a sensory garden is also being built just for them. Childcare officials at the Mitchell center say that the garden will include various ways for the younger children to stimulate their sense of sight, smell, touch and feel. 

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YMCA Executive Director of Youth Development Janette Stanley believes kids don’t spend enough time outside and depend too much on tablets and smart phones.

“Their social emotional development is behind just solely because their only interaction is with the screen versus like peer to peer,” said Stanley.

“So being outdoors is just so important, and educating families on why it’s important to be outdoors, and why it’s okay to be outside, and it’s safe to be outside and here’s how you can engage with your child outside.”

Children will also be encouraged to make use of items around woods themselves along with other kids to create structures and let their imaginations run wild. Stanley believes that encouraging children to work with each other will help them naturally learn to control their emotions.

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Some parents may worry about their children getting hurt on the many climbing surfaces at Wonder Woods, but Stanley says the Mitchell center encourages its kids to take risks.

“We’re big fans of supervised risky play, but we do allow children to have the autonomy to see what their limits are and how to walk the children through that,” she said.

“Children learn best when they take risks. And if they make a mistake, then they try a new different way to do something.”

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During the school week, Wonder Woods will be exclusively available to children currently enrolled at Mitchell. The organization says it will host several public days throughout the year.

Construction of Wonder Woods is slated to finish in August.

Thomas Ouellette is our reporter and producer.  Contact him at thomas.ouellette@bsu.edu.