Children and families will come together to play outdoors at a Nature Play Date being held at Mass Audubon’s Boston Nature Center in Mattapan on Saturday, April 14. Families can drop in anytime between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The free Nature Play Date is part of the Children & Nature Network’s Let’s G.O.! (Get Outside) campaign and Children & Nature Awareness month, both of which take place in April, 2012.

The goal of Let’s G.O.! is to bring together intergenerational groups of people to get outside and be active, have fun, and connect with nature. The Nature Play Date is an event for families and children to dig in the dirt, make a dam in our stream, or build a shelter. Unstructured outdoor play is a fun way to develop creativity and a deep connection to nature. While children play in the Nature Nook, adults can play alongside them or just relax in the seating area. A teacher naturalist will provide digging tools and Also on Saturday, the Boston Nature Center will also offer a class (fee required) about gardening for adults at 10 am. Visitors can also explore spring birds by renting a birding kit for a small fee. Families are encouraged to bring a lunch and make a day of it. The Boston Nature Center is located at 500 Walk Hill Street in Mattapan.