Hasbro's Our Big Backyard
A New Breed of Children's Zoo

Based on a contemporary interpretation of what a children’s zoo can and ought to be, this experience will be unlike any other in the Zoo. Families will have fun experiencing the natural wonders of our region through exhibits and activities designed to stimulate exploration and nature-play that engages interaction across generations.  It will include both New England region animal exhibits and themed, interactive play areas. Not only will it be great fun, but for those children who don’t ordinarily have the chance to experience unstructured nature-play, this will provide an important learning opportunity that can foster a life-long appreciation for nature and wildlife, and their conservation.


Exhibit Components

> View a schematic of the planned components

Our House will feature an indoor activity space that will host everything from interactive story times and up-close animal encounters to birthday parties.  It is also home to The Nature Swap, a special place where children can trade items that they’ve collected when out exploring nature.  When a child shares an item like a pinecone, sea shell, or plaster cast of an animal track and tells our Nature Swap staff about the experience of finding the item, the child will be awarded points.  These points can be used right away to swap for items that other children have brought in, or they can be saved up to swap for larger items at a later date.  It’s all about encouraging kids to go outside, experience the natural world, and then share those experiences!

The Backyard is the ultimate play space!  Three separate activity zones designed with the Rhode Island Early Childhood Learning standards in mind will allow children to actively delve deeper into different areas of exploration, experience, play and learning.

• The Creativity Corner is where you will find a stage for impromptu performances, staff-led animal encounters, and events like puppet shows and sing-a-longs.  Unusual musical instruments, art tables, and special easels made out of natural slate round out the experience.
  
• The Sticks & Stones Building Zone will house several unusual, yet common, frames for building forts.  Clothes lines, boats in dry storage, and brick walls are some of the things available to build from.  Baskets of fabric and other props will be provided so kids can create unique spaces in which to play and explore.  One area of the Building Zone will contain a staging area for smaller blocks and other materials to create tiny habitats and environments.
  
• The Drip Dry Water Garden features a raised streambed to float things down, and a whimsical fence covered in hoses and tubes to channel water through infinite configurations dreamed up by the kids.

Beyond the Fence is where things start to get really wild!  Escape through a hole in the backyard fence and enter a trail teeming with wildlife!  River otters, wild turkeys, great horned owls, lynx, and porcupine will all play a part in your adventure. 

At the end of the trail is the CVS Caremark All Kids Can Tree House. This is a fully accessible tree house where you will find different activities to engage all of your senses.  Packed with things to touch, hear, smell, and see, there will always be something new to discover!

Timeframe and budget: 
Construction begun in Spring 2010. Estimated completion date: Spring 2012.  $5.5 million

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors...
Made possible through the generosity of the Champlin Foundations' Challenge Grant

Architectural renderings provided by YODER + TIDWELL, LTD., architects and engineers.