Garden Playtime at the Atlanta Botanical Garden offers an engaging introduction to the wonders of nature for young children. This event features a variety of monthly themes and activities designed to stimulate interest in the natural world. Each session encourages creativity and sensory engagement, making it a worthwhile experience for families during the spring, summer, and fall.
Dates: Tuesdays, March – October.
Time: 10 a.m. – noon
Free with Garden admission
Suggested ages: 6 months – 5 years. Weather permitting. The event may be canceled if rain or inclement weather makes outdoor programming impractical. For status updates, please email classes@atlantabg.org.
March: Joyful Movement
March’s theme features music, movement, and hands-on activities, including a music party station, the creation of colorful wind socks, and exploration of various sounds through sensory bins. Families will also explore instruments made from plants and experiment with nature-inspired sounds.
April: Patterns Everywhere!
In April, participants will celebrate National Haiku Poetry Day by combining art with nature. The activities will include learning about natural patterns and textures, exploring forest scenes in sensory bins, painting with natural items, and creating recycled art mosaics to take home.
May: Mythical Creatures
May invites families to discover magical creatures inspired by Niki de Saint Phalle’s sculptures. Activities include visiting mermaids in sensory bins, uncovering hidden treasures in kinetic sand, and creating slithering snake art.
June: Pollinator Friends
June’s theme celebrates National Pollinator Week. Participants will learn about diverse pollinator species, engage in a bug tic-tac-toe game, explore “bees in a hive” sensory bins, and create “bug rocks” to take home.
July: Animal Adventures
In July, Garden Playtime draws inspiration from the lively animal sculptures in Niki de Saint Phalle’s artwork. Families are encouraged to dress as animals, create a collaborative animal print mural, and design their own unique animal art to take home.
August: Wonderful Water
August focuses on the joyful movement of water. Families can enjoy water sensory bins, create water lily art, and engage in frog pond shaving cream exploration, along with frog games on the Children’s Garden lawn. A Splash Pad is available for cooling down.
September: Golden Grows
September’s activities celebrate the golden colors of the Garden in honor of its 50th Anniversary. Families will create sunflower art, engage with sunflower rice sensory bins, and paint with corn cobs at the mural station.
October: Harvest Time
In October, activities inspired by the harvest season will encourage relaxation and nostalgia for autumn. Families can hunt for scarecrows throughout the Garden while enjoying the scents and sounds associated with the season.
