Drop-in Discovery Booths for All Ages
Drop-in between 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays, May 2 through Oct. 27, for free family-friendly activities!
Staff and volunteers will facilitate a 5-15 minute activity at the Discovery Booth to explore a specific topic, including plant-related exercises like testing soil, planting a seed or nature journaling. Although geared toward children and families, all are welcome to participate. Each theme will feature two different activities within the month.
Discovery Booths are included with general daily admission, which is free for members and ages 15 and younger and $20-$25 for non-members ages 16 and older. Tickets must be reserved in advance of your visit to guarantee admission.
May
What do we notice about nature when we observe?
Make Nature Journals
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 2, 5, 9, 12, 16 and 19
Location: Woodland Azalea Garden
Explore nature through your senses by making your own nature journal.
Make Bark & Leaf Rubbings
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. May 23, 26, 30 and June 2
Location: Woodland Azalea Garden
Explore nature through your senses by making your own bark and leaf rubbings.
June
What makes color present in nature?
Create a Painting from Flower Dye
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. June 6, 9, 13 and 16
Location: Perennial Garden
Explore the many colors of flowers by smashing plants to make a flower print.
Go on a Color Scavenger Hunt
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. June 20, 23, 27 and 30
Location: Perennial Garden
Explore how flowers and pollinators influence each other by going on a color-matching scavenger hunt.
July
Why do ecosystems differ in their plant life?
Become a Soil Scientist
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. July 4, 7, 11, and 14
Location: Lilac Walk Green Space
Conduct soil testing on Arboretum soils using various testing methods.
Explore Plant Habitats
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. July 18, 21, 25, and 28
Location: Lilac Walk Green Space
Explore how habitats influence plants by solving matching puzzles.
August
How do plant life cycles support other forms of life?
Explore the Life of a Log
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, and 18
Location: Home Demonstration Garden
Explore the decomposition of a log through magiscopes and bingo.
Go on a Garden Scavenger Hunt
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Aug. 22, 25, 29, and Sept. 1
Location: Home Demonstration Garden
Explore the impacts of plant growth through a garden scavenger hunt and plant flower seeds to watch them grow.
September
How can trees help us create a more sustainable future?
Become an Environmental Scientist
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 5, 8, 12, and 15
Location: Ordway Picnic Shelter
Conduct an experiment to find out the impact trees have on rainfall by measuring water on different landscapes.
Become a Tree Scientist
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 19, 22, 26, and 29
Location: Ordway Picnic Shelter
Discover the impacts trees have in local temperatures by using thermometers around the gardens.
October
How are plants used in our everyday lives?
Make a Fiber Craft
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 3, 6, 10, and 13
Location: Cloistered Herb Garden
Explore objects made from plants and create a craft using plant fibers.
Make a Cookbook
Time and Dates: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 17, 20, 24, and 27
Location: Cloistered Herb Garden
See how plants are the foundation of our food systems and create a cookbook to highlight unique, edible plants.