Join the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) for a fun-filled 94th summer in Miss Shaw’s Children’s Garden.
Your kids don’t like vegetables? Maybe they should grow their own. In addition to gardening, children investigate science, explore nature, create crafts, and cook food harvested from the garden.
All Children’s Garden classes are designed with a low child-to-teacher ratio to help ensure quality programming. Register now to save a space in the popular spring programs. The Independence Community Foundation Scholarship Fund for the Children’s Garden provides limited scholarships for all age groups based on need. For information, call 718-623-7220.
· Summer Science Adventures: Environmental Explorations, July 1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24 & 25 from 1-3 p.m. What is it like to be a plant in a dry desert, a tropical rainforest, underwater, or right there in Brooklyn? Through observations, experiments, and other creative projects, this course explores what it takes to survive in these environments, and about the amazing ways that plants are able to live in so many different places.
Students discover Earth’s natural cycles that connect all living organisms to the environment. These inquiries will not only open kids’ eyes to understanding today’s environmental issues, but will help them understand how to can become advocates for our environment right here in the own community.
Section A is for those entering second through fourth grades, Section B is for children entering fifth through seventh grades.
Summer Science Adventures: Plant Connections, July 29, 31; August 1, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 19, 21, 22 from 1:15-3:15 p.m. From the beginning of civilization, humans have relied on plants not only for survival, but also as inspiration to make beautiful art. Come explore the many ways that humans have worked with plants both in the past and today, all over the world.
From art activities to herb explorations, from poetry to kitchen creations, kids can discover the fabulous and varied ways we can interact with plants in our own lives. Section A is for those entering second through fourth grades, Section B is for children entering fifth through seventh grades.
KinderGarden: Trees and Saplings, for three- and four-year-olds with caregiver, allows caregivers and children to learn about BBG while developing a love of plants, gardens, and the outdoors. Children listen to gardening stories, participate in fun planting activities, and, weather permitting, go on sensory tours of different parts of the Garden. It meets Wednesdays in July and August.
KinderGarden: Buds for four-, five-, and six-year-olds offers two sessions: Session 1: July 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24 from 1-2:30 p.m. and Session 2: July 29, 31; August 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, from 1-2:30 p.m. The afternoon Buds begin their lesson indoors with a fun planting activity, then go down to the Children’s Garden to harvest. This format provides young children with a fun-filled and cool summer afternoon in the Garden.
City Farmers is for students entering second through seventh grades and also offers two sessions: Session 1: July 1, 3, 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 22, 24, 25 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Session 2: July 29, 31; August 1, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 19, 21, 22, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The City Farmers program is an opportunity for kids to grow food and flowers from seed for their family table while meeting new friends, acquiring new skills, and having a good time in the garden. Summer gardeners dig, plant, weed, cultivate, and harvest a variety of crops.
City Farmers work in pairs within small age-based groups led by an instructor. Nature activities, science projects, storytelling, and crafts are often part of the day’s program. Children get to see — growing right out of the ground — radishes, carrots, lettuce, scallions, squash, eggplants, cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, and much more. It’s a great place to learn about gardening and nature.
Discovery Garden
BBG’s outdoor adventure garden is designed especially for young children to explore plant life from a kid’s perspective. Children may visit sense-ational plants and colorful flowers, follow butterflies and birds in a wildlife meadow, pump water down a bamboo waterfall to a stream, hide under a tree, hike a nature trail, and meet a giant green spider.
The Discovery Garden includes safe areas designed for toddlers to experience plant life firsthand and have fun, and free drop-in workshops for families to enjoy. You can drop in anytime between 2-4 p.m.
Wonderful Water Plants! is slated for July 13 and August 10. Drop by the Discovery Garden to explore the many types of floating water plants that live in our water table! Look up close with magnifiers and use your senses to learn how these plants grow — indoors and out. Kids may pour their own water garden to take home. Discovery Garden; inclement weather: Steinhardt Conservatory, lower level.
Storytelling Saturdays! are Saturdays in June, July, and August. Lend an ear on Saturday afternoons in the Discovery Garden to read and listen to garden stories out loud! Hear tales of garden adventures, animal journeys, and nature explorations throughout the seasons. Have a story to share about a garden? Bring it along for show and tell! Stories will be repeated throughout the workshop, and props and activities will supplement seasonal story themes. Discovery Garden Toddler Lawn; canceled in case of inclement weather.
Discovery Tuesdays! are Tuesdays in June, July, and August. Tuesday is Discovery Day for young children interested in exploring plants up close. These 15-minute, drop-in plant workshops allow children and families to be plant detectives and discover new parts of the Discovery Garden. Hands-on activities are educational and creative; they include nature explorations, plantings, and garden arts for kids to take home. Discovery Garden; canceled in case of inclement weather.
For information on fees and to register for any of the children’s programs, call 718-623-7220 or visit www.bbg.org.
