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Programs for Families and Children
Family Programs
Discovery Garden
Our children's outdoor adventure garden provides year-round excitement and opportunities for families to explore and discover together! Children's activity areas are designed for small children with supervision. Sit and relax or join in while children explore birds in winter, smell fragrant spring flowers, and enjoy the transition from winter to spring. The Discovery Garden is open during regular Garden hours. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Visit us often!
Plant Discovery Carts
Catch our Discovery Carts as they roll around the Garden this summer with exciting and educational plant adventures for children and families. These traveling education carts are staffed by our enthusiastic Garden Apprentice teens and offer in-depth opportunities for children and adults to learn about plants and the natural world.
Weekend Discovery Workshops
For children and families; free with Garden admission
Weekend Discovery Programs invite the whole family to discover, explore, and create together. Join us between 2 and 4 p.m. for free drop-in workshops filled with hands-on, interactive adventures with plants and science. Dates and topics are here.
Spring Sprouts
Celebrate spring by planting seeds in your garden or window box! Learn about seeds, how they sprout, and the different types of seeds kids can grow easily at home. Taste some yummy seed treats and explore the many ways seeds are important in our lives.
Sunday, April 19 | 2–4 pm
Discovery Garden (Inclement weather: Steinhardt Conservatory, lower level)
May: Flower Fun!
April showers do bring May flowers to the Discovery Garden! Explore flowers of all shapes and kinds and discover why they're so important in our lives (and in our gardens).
Tuesday Discovery Workshops: Weekly | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Saturday Garden Explorations: Weekly | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Sunday Discovery Workshop: May 31 | drop in 1–3 p.m. Wicked Plants
July: Buggin' Out
Discover an amazing array of insects and not-so-creepy crawlers in the Discovery Garden this month. Check out worms, ladybugs, butterflies, and more and learn about the roles they play in keeping gardens healthy.
Tuesday Discovery Workshops: Weekly | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Saturday Explorations: Weekly (starting July 11) | drop in 10 a.m.–Noon
Sunday Discovery Workshop: July 12 | drop in 1–3 p.m.
June: Plant Part-y
Use your senses to investigate plants and their parts throughout the garden. Learn to identify roots, leaves, and other structures and how they help plants to grow. Discover how they're used around the world!
Tuesday Discovery Workshops: Weekly | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Saturday Garden Explorations: Weekly | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Sunday Discovery Workshop: June 14 | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Making Friends With Flowers
For 1st through 6th graders
During this Others Are Us art program, children use a variety of media to create works inspired by BBG's Cranford Rose Garden. Their artwork will be exchanged over the internet with children participating in the same activity internationally. Young artists can write a message in other languages to send with their roses and view art by children from far off lands. For more info about Others Are Us, visit OthersAreUs.org.
Sunday, June 7 | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Cranford Rose Garden
August: Water Wonders
Explore the world of water this month in the Discovery Garden. Investigate its many special features and learn how H2O affects and supports living processes in plants and for people.
Tuesday Discovery Workshops: Weekly | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Saturday Explorations: Weekly | drop in 10 a.m.–Noon
Sunday Discovery Workshop: August 16 | drop in 1–3 p.m.