Children’s Imaginarium offers free admission Sept. 26 for ‘Worldwide Day of Play’

Families are invited to celebrate the opening of a new exhibit — Nature Cat: Backyard and Beyond — at the Children’s Imaginarium in Wausau on Saturday, Sept. 26. In recognition of the Worldwide Day of Play, admission to the Children’s Imaginarium will be free for all visitors throughout that day.

Worldwide Day of Play is a global celebration presented by the Association of Children’s Museums. The event highlights the essential role of play in children’s learning, development, well-being and confidence. Children’s museums around the world will celebrate by encouraging children and families to get active, explore, create and experience the joy of learning through play.

“Play is one of the most meaningful ways children learn about themselves and the world around them,” said Julie Bollmann, executive director of the Children’s Imaginarium. “By offering free admission on Worldwide Day of Play, we are removing financial barriers and inviting every family to explore, learn and make discoveries together.”

The Children’s Imaginarium’s free day of play will give families throughout the community an opportunity to explore the museum and be among the first to experience their new exhibit, Nature Cat: Backyard and Beyond. Inspired by the popular PBS Nature Cat television series, this interactive traveling exhibit encourages children ages 2–10 and their families to discover the wonders of the natural world through imaginative, hands-on play.

Visitors will enter the world of Nature Cat and his friends as they investigate four distinct habitats: a backyard, marsh, forest and cave. Through hands-on, play-based experiences, children will have opportunities to design a container garden while exploring plants and identifying the scents of different flowers, investigate the water cycle and learn about thunderstorms and storm safety, develop an understanding of environmental stewardship by cleaning up a marsh, navigate a swamp on a raft and riding down Ronald’s water slide, search for acorns, identify bird calls and investigate the interconnected elements of a forest habitat.

“Nature Cat: Backyard and Beyond is a wonderful fit for the Children’s Imaginarium — it provides children with meaningful, hands-on opportunities to learn about the abundant natural resources found right here in north-central Wisconsin,” said Julie Bollmann, executive director of the
Children’s Imaginarium. “Through play-based learning, children can investigate local habitats, explore scientific concepts, strengthen problem-solving skills, and develop a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the natural world in their own backyard.”

The exhibit supports STEM learning through hands-on, play-based experiences that foster curiosity, collaboration, mathematical thinking, vocabulary development and problem-solving skills. Its open-ended activities encourage children to investigate, make connections, test ideas and discover something new with each visit. Nature Cat: Backyard and Beyond was created by Kohl Children’s Museum of Greater Chicago. The exhibit incorporates principles of universal design, providing meaningful opportunities for visitors of all abilities to participate, explore and play.

The Children’s Imaginarium is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26. For additional information, visitchildrensimaginarium.org.