Introduce little ones to the joys of nature at the Atlanta Botanical Garden! Families can enjoy fun activities that stimulate children’s interest in the natural world. With a new theme each month and activities designed to engage the senses and spark creativity, Garden Playtime offers an enjoyable and enriching experience 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. The event will be canceled if rain or inclement weather makes outdoor programming impractical. To check the status, attendees can email classes@atlantabg.org.
March: What’s the Weather?
Kick off a new season of Garden Playtime with explorations of the wonder of weather. Children can visit the art station to make their own rain stick and play a weather matching game at the kinetic sand tables! Don’t miss the rainbow sensory bins to bring in the sunshine.
April: Art in Nature
In April, celebrate National Haiku Poetry Day by combining art with nature. Kids will learn how natural patterns create interesting textures and mimic those textures in their art. They’ll explore forest scenes in sensory bins, combine natural items with playdough at playdough tables, and create their own nature bookmarks to take home.
May: Enchant Your Senses
This May, the magic of Patrick Shearn’s Enchanted Trees will bring excitement as families adventure into the sounds and colors of their surroundings. Children can explore the wonder of light in the Amphitheatre, search for hidden friends in fairy garden sensory bins, and design their own wind chime to take home.
June: Pollinator Friends
In June, families can celebrate National Pollinator Week by learning about the valuable role of diverse pollinator species in ecosystems. Kids can investigate these fascinating critters up close, play a bug tic-tac-toe game, dig into “bees in a hive” sensory bins and honey slime, and design their own beehive using bubble wrap!
July: Kids in Wonderland
July features the return of Alice’s Wonderland with beautiful mosaiculture sculptures throughout the Garden. Families can find the giant rabbit among other sculptures, and unleash their imagination in the Children’s Garden with a tea party sensory station and flamingo croquet. The art station will also offer the chance to paint red roses using celery pieces!
August: Froggy Fun
During August, children can dive into the wonderful world of frogs! Activities will include frog lawn games, frog pond sensory bins, playdough stations, and frog feet sponge paintings, ensuring a hoppin’ good time. Families can cool down at the Splash Pad before heading home.
September: Enchanted Trees
The joy of Patrick Shearn’s Enchanted Trees continues in the Children’s Garden this September. Families can enjoy leaf rubbings, create a pinecone painting mural, explore apple pie-themed sensory bins, and swing by the art station to make their own four-season tree to take home.
October: Harvest Time
In October, activities inspired by the harvest season will abound. Families can relish in the delightful aromas of autumn food and the crunching sounds of leaves as they wind down Garden Playtime for the year. There will also be opportunities to hunt for favorite scarecrows in the Garden.
