Nature Play Fest is back this Saturday at Henderson Lake Park.
Everyone is invited to enjoy this free outdoor festival, featuring 20-plus play-based activities for all ages.
The event showcases the benefits of spending time outside through interactive play stations, local partnerships, and nature-based fun.
Program Lead at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre Tyler Hecker said Nature Play Fest is about bringing the community together, connecting with the outdoors, with each other, and with the simple joy of play. “It’s a reminder that fun doesn’t need screens, just fresh air and a little curiosity.”
At the festival, families can try hands-on activities with something for every age and interest. It’s a chance to unplug and dive into an outdoor adventure.
Canadian kids are spending up to 10.6 hours a day sedentary, as screens increasingly replace active time outdoors — an alarming trend reported by Statistics Canada.
This level of inactivity emphasizes the need for more opportunities to engage in movement throughout the day.
Spending time outside makes a powerful difference, as outdoor play also boosts physical activity, nurtures mental health, and strengthens connections with the natural world.
Hecker believes play is important for all ages, but especially for kids these days.
Hecker is also excited about the Family Centre’s Mud Kitchen activity and Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Loose Parts Playground.
“What that means is a bunch of large items that kids can build with, like tires, tubes, two by fours, and pipes,” Hecker noted. “That one’s always a lot of fun to see the cool things kids come up with.”
Nature Play Fest runs from 12-4 p.m.
