MORE than 5000 children and parents are expected to visit Yanchep National Park this Saturday to build more than 1000 cubbies as part of Cubby Town.
The second annual event aims to connect families to WA’s national parks and promote the health and wellbeing benefits of unstructured play in the outdoors.
It is a partnership between Nature Play WA and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions (DBCA), with support from the City of Wanneroo and developer Peet.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWNature Play WA chief executive Griffin Longley said the scale of the April 28 event was unprecedented in WA for events of its kind.
“This will likely be the most cubbies ever built in a single day in WA and is a great example of just how easy it is to give kids opportunities for healthy outdoor play, even in the iPad era,” he said.
“The research is absolutely clear time spent playing in nature is good for kids’ health, mental health, their creativity, and resilience.
“What Cubby Town shows us, is that modern kids love to muck around outside as much as any other generation when they are given the opportunity.”
Mr Longley said the event was the result of a partnership with the department and staff at Yanchep National Park.
DBCA has waived entry fees to the park for the event and park staff have been collecting sticks for the cubby building activities for months, working with Nature Play WA to plan and coordinate the event.
“Even a one-off positive experience like Cubby Town can lead to greater visitation of our amazing national parks,” Mr Longley said.
“A recent survey of last year’s Cubby Town participants showed that 80 per cent had visited a national park since the event, and almost 70 per cent said attending Cubby Town had contributed to that decision.”
Activities will include nature craft workshops run by Peet, Two Rocks Playgroup and Little Gumnuts, story reading by City staff, a story walk run by Pyjama Drama, rock decorating with Wanslea and flag making with Educated by Nature.
What: Cubby Town Where: Yanchep National Park, 1 Indian Ocean Drive When: 10am to 3.30pm, Saturday, April 28 Who: Nature Play WA
More: www.natureplaywa.org.au
MORE: Rapper Kendrick Lamar to play Perth gig on July 10
MORE: Mother fined for striking 11-year-old daughter after argument about junk food