Garden Playtime

Introduce your little one to the joys of nature! Join us for fun activities that will stimulate your child’s interest in the natural world. With a new theme each month and activities that engage the senses and spark creativity, Garden Playtime is an enjoyable and enriching activity for families throughout the spring, summer and fall. Dates: Tuesdays, March – Oct. Time: 10 a.m. – noon Free with Garden admission Suggested ages: 6 months – 5 years. Weather permitting. We will cancel if rain or inclement weather makes outdoor programming impractical. To check the status, email [email protected]. March: Joyful Movement Kick off Garden Playtime with music, movement, and hands-on fun! Dance at our music party station, create a colorful wind sock to take home, and explore a variety of sounds at our sensory bins. Families can also explore instruments made from plants and experiment with sounds inspired by nature. April: Patterns Everywhere! Celebrate National Haiku Poetry Day with us this April as we combine art with nature. Come learn how natural patterns create interesting textures and then mimic those textures in art. Explore forest scenes in our sensory bins, paint with natural items at our mural station, and create your own recycled art mosaic to take home. May: Mythical Creatures What magical creatures might you discover in Niki de Saint Phalle’s bold and playful sculptures? Venture with us into a fantastical world of mythical animals and imaginative forms inspired by her art. Visit the mermaids in our sensory bins, uncover hidden dragon treasure in kinetic sand, and create your own slithering snake at the art station. June: Pollinator Friends Celebrate National Pollinator Week with us this June. Learn about the valuable role of diverse pollinator species in our ecosystems, and investigate these fascinating critters up close. Join us for a bug tic-tac-toe game, dig your hands into our “bees in a hive” sensory bins and homemade scented playdough, and decorate a “bug rock” to take home! July: Animal Adventures This July, Garden Playtime takes inspiration from the lively animal sculptures found in Niki de Saint Phalle’s artwork. Families are invited to dress up as animals, create a shared animal print mural, and design your own unique animal to take home. August: Wonderful Water From fountains to flowing forms, Niki de Saint Phalle’s art celebrates the joyful movement of water. Families can enjoy water sensory bins, water lily art, frog pond shaving cream exploration, and frog games on the Children’s Garden lawn. Be sure to cool down in the Splash Pad before you head home! September: Golden Grows In honor of the Garden’s 50th Anniversary, September’s Garden Playtime celebrates the golden colors found throughout the landscape. Families are invited to make sunflower art, scoop and pour in sunflower rice sensory bins, and paint with corn cobs at our mural station. October: Harvest Time This month’s activities are inspired by the harvest season. From delicious food aromas to the crunching sounds of leaves, relax into the nostalgia of autumn as we wind down Garden Playtime for the year. Save some time to hunt around for your favorite Scarecrows in the Garden.