Family Programs Philosophy
Early positive experiences in nature can foster a lifelong appreciation and respect for the outdoors. These experiences provide the groundwork for future botanists, naturalists, horticulturists, and environmentalists.

The Chicago Botanic Garden offers family programs that integrate science, art and language. The programs are designed to encourage families to learn together and are open-ended, enjoyable and discovery-based.

Saturday Classes
Programs cover a wide range of subjects and interests from worms, bulbs and snowflakes to gumballs, candles and ice cream. Preregistration is required, click here for online registration. Call (847) 835-8363 for more information.

Preregistration is required.
For online registration, click here.

To print form for fax or mail-in registration, click here .

For more information call
(847) 835-8363.

Programs are designed to accommodate a range of learning styles and ability levels as well as the varying amount of time a family is able to commit to an activity. The programs feature hands-on activities and projects tailored for children ages 4 to 10 and an accompanying adult.

The programs aim to stimulate families in new ways to experience and connect with the Garden and each other.

Program Times
The programs are offered on Saturdays from January through May in both morning (9:30 to 11:00 a.m.) and afternoon (1:00 to 2:30 p.m.) sessions.

Prices
Member adult fee is $10, nonmember adult is $12, member child is $12 and nonmember child is $15.

Programs

Secrets of Soap -- April 15
Discover the story behind soap making, from its stinky homemade beginnings to flower-scented mass-production. Experiment with soap and bubbles. Create soap using plant materials for the color, scent and texture. Click here for online registration.
 
Insect Investigations – April 29
Take a walk in the woods and collect samples of the forest floor. Examine soil specimens through a microscope to spot tiny bugs and critters.

Learn how and why bugs help the garden. Make special glasses to get a bug’s-eye view of your world at home. Click here for online registration.
 
Plant Pigment Paints – May 6
Plants, flowers, fruits and vegetables come in a rainbow of different colors. Find out which plants in the Garden supplied colors to artists from long ago.

Use plants to create art and mix up some plant-pigment paints to take home. Click here for online registration.
 
Miniature Gardens -- May 13
You don’t need a lot of space for a garden. Plant a take-home terrarium filled with miniature plants. For inspiration, we’ll take a special tour of the Railroad Garden and observe all kinds of small-scale plants, trees and flowers. Click here for online registration.
 
Container Gardens -- May 20
Gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Help plant a large summer container garden for the Chicago Botanic Garden, put together a smaller, family-sized one to take home, and find out how you can make a garden using recyclable items like a yogurt cup! Click here for online registration.
 
Dinosaur Plants – May 27
What kinds of plants were in your backyard millions of years ago? When did flowers begin to grow?

Examine fossils and some of the oldest types of plants. Learn how to plant and grow your own fern garden. Click here for online registration.

Looking forward to Summer 2006
Free programs for families will be offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday from May 27 through Oct. 8. Caregivers and children from ages 2 through 10 can explore, discover and create together during drop-in activities at the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden.

A special feature of the 2006 season will be Japanese Garden Family Sundays on the first and third Sundays of each month from May 21 through Oct. 1. Families are invited to drop by the Elizabeth Hubert Malott Japanese Garden for Japanese folktale storytelling and hands-on activities related to Japanese arts and culture, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Find out about member programs too!