
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium Nature Play Garden
Presented by TAPCO Credit Union
Crawl, Balance, Investigate & Explore
The Little Explorers Nature Play Garden opened in 2022 at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. The immersive nature play garden is designed to cultivate a sense of belonging and excitement for nature, along with an appreciation for plants, pollinators, and other small creatures. It’s a playing place and a learning space.
TAPCO members receive 10% off* Zoo & Aquarium membership when purchased at the Gate.

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Designed for children ages 3 to 5, the garden has nature play elements that encourage curiosity and wandering discovery, like stumps for hopping and logs to crawl through. Kids can build and experiment with a “Builder’s Deck” with natural components like sticks, wood blocks, and giant bark chips. A low-balance course offers a series of several low logs for kids to practice balancing motor skills and provides a sense of adventure and accomplishment for young children. Children can help build a hummingbird nest made of sticks and moss and crawl inside, encouraging role-play. While the play elements are for the younger crowd, the garden is meant to be enjoyed by guests of all ages and abilities. The garden is filled with native and exotic plants that attract pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. Everyone can appreciate the garden’s beautiful, engaging landscape of shrubs, flowers, grasses, rocks, logs and places to watch tiny creatures at work. |

Parks Tacoma Environmental Sustainability Partner
TAPCO is also the Environment Sustainability Partner to Parks Tacoma providing 2,905 acres of parks in Tacoma, WA.
*To receive the 10% discount on a zoo membership purchase, mention the TAPCO Member discount before your purchase at the zoo's front gate and show your TAPCO debit/credit card or other proof of TAPCO membership. Only one discount per membership purchased. Discounts are not valid on prior purchases. The discount is available for membership purchased at the zoo entrance gate. Not available for online purchases.