Children’s & Family Programs
Children’s Classes
Since 1914, children ages 2 to 17 have been growing flowers, vegetables, and herbs and learning firsthand about the natural world in Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Children’s Garden. Classes run three to six weeks and children must register in advance.
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Drop-in Family Workshops
From May to September and during select school breaks, the Discovery Garden offers fun activities, plantings, and open-ended exploration workshops free with garden admission. Workshops are on a drop-in basis and appropriate for a broad range of ages.
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How to Register
Select from the sections linked below to see class descriptions and fees. Be sure to note age requirements and other qualifications.
Registrations are processed on a first-come, first-served basis in the order that payment is received; note that Children's Garden classes fill quickly.
Scholarships
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available for Children's Garden participants, distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. To request an application, please contact
Registration at 718-623-7220 or registration@bbg.org.
Trees & Saplings
For 2- and 3-Year-Olds with a Caregiver
Learn about the wonders of gardening with your two- or three-year-old during this active, hands-on program. Our youngest gardeners work with their adult partner to tend to their garden plots, sing songs, taste new foods, and create nature crafts.
Consistent attendance of one adult per child is required. Pricing includes one adult and one child. No infants or older siblings, please. We recommend that first-time gardeners and early twos choose the one-hour class section.
Seeds
For students entering pre-K and kindergarten (4, 5, and 6-year-olds)
Seeds work together in small groups to care for their garden plots and participate in cooking, exploring the wonderful outdoors, crafting and other fun activities. This is a drop-off program.
Children’s Garden Spring Break Mini-Session
For students in kindergarten through 5th Grades
Kick off your spring season in the Children’s Garden! Help with early-season tasks like mulching, weeding, and seeding. Round out the morning with crafting, cooking, scavenger hunts, and other fun spring projects.
City Farmers
For students entering 1st through 8th grades
City Farmers dig gardening! Students develop basic horticulture skills to bring garden plots to life with fresh, seasonal vegetables and enjoy crafting, cooking, nature exploration, and other hands-on activities. Meets Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings.
NEW! Nature Explorers Club
For students entering 2nd through 4th grades
Come on an adventure with us to find out more about the plants and animals that make their home at BBG. Art, crafts, games, science, and nature walks will inspire Explorers to uncover the mysteries of the natural world.
Summer Science Adventures
For students entering 5th through 7th grades
Stir up scientific excitement in our greenhouses and classrooms during Summer Science Adventures! Explore the wide world of plants with hands-on investigations, planting projects, fun-filled scavenger hunts, and other science-based activities. Meets Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday afternoons.
Brooklyn Cultural Adventure Programs (BCAP)
For students entering 2nd through 6th grades(ages 7–12)
In summer, the Heart of Brooklyn Cultural Partnership (Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park, and Prospect Park Zoo) offers a unique full-day summer program weaving strong connections between art, science, culture, and the environment. Activities are scheduled at all six institutions, rain or shine. The basic camp runs from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with an optional after-camp program from 3:30 to 6 p.m.
The Discovery Garden offers nature workshops for families, free with Garden admission. Children and their caregivers learn about the natural world through fun activities, plantings, and open-ended exploration. Workshops are offered on a weekly basis from April through October and during February and spring school breaks.
Free Drop-In Workshops
February Break Discovery Days
February 18–20 | 10 a.m.–Noon
Children travel the world’s deserts and rainforests in the Steinhardt Conservatory, discover amazing plants through fun, hands-on activities, and pot up their own plant to bring home.
Please note that workshops on Thursday, February 21, and Friday, February 22, have been canceled due to changes in the New York City school calendar.
Go behind the scenes at Brooklyn’s most treasured cultural institutions—Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Prospect Park Zoo, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Children's Museum, and Prospect Park! Weave exciting connections between the arts, nature, and the sciences, all in the heart of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Cultural Adventures Program (BCAP) Summer Camp is an innovative enrichment day camp creating lifelong links between youth and their cultural community. With BCAP Summer Camp, become an adventurer in the heart of Brooklyn!
2013 camp dates: Three 2-week sessions: July 1–12; July 15–26; July 29–August 9
Ages:7–12
Hours: Monday–Friday
Drop-off: 8 a.m.–9 a.m.
Camp: 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Stay & Play After-Camp (optional): 3:30 p.m.–6 p.m.
Financial aid is available for qualifying families. For more information, and to register online, visit the Heart of Brooklyn website.
