Insect-ival
At our family festival Insect-ival, learn about the fascinating world of insects and their value to humankind at this creepy, crawly, fun event for the whole family! Discovery stations, roach and beetle races, puppet shows, insect Olympics, and the opportunity to observe and even hold dozens of live insects intrigue both children and adults. Insect-ival is held annually on a Saturday in September.
ForestFest
ForestFest focuses on forests and their importance in our lives. Through close encounters with live forest animals, displays, games and a variety of hands-on activities, children and their parents explore the temperate forests of Georgia, the tropical forests of South America, and the migratory birds that share the forests of these regions! This event is conducted annually in the Spring.
Summer Camps
Garden Summer Camps are popular out-of-school activities for children and a great way for youth to learn about plants and the environment. Camp activities include discovery hunts, puppet shows, stream investigations, hikes, science experiments and gardening crafts.
Several week-long camps are offered for different ages. A limited number of junior counselor positions are available. On-line registration begins in March for these popular camps!
Field Trips
Garden field trips provide an excellent opportunity for students, K-12, to learn about plants and the environment. Field trips are scheduled Tuesdays through Friday mornings throughout the school year. Hands-on activities guide students through the gardens, natural areas, and tropical conservatory. All field trips are correlated to Georgia Performance Standards; pre- and post-trip activities are provided.
Available field trip topics include: Foreco's Garden, Really Remarkable Rainforest, Stream Adventures, Amazing Medicinal Plants, Treats and Treasures from the Botanical World, Our Shared Forests, Ecosystem Standards Check, and Invasive Plants Service Learning Project. Follow the link below for field trip descriptions.
Garden Earth Naturalist
Garden Earth Naturalist Clubs provide fun, informal, environmental education activities for children in after-school settings, while helping children better understand Earth's ecosystems, value the "services" these ecosystems provide, and take positive actions through service learning projects on their own Club sites. A two year sequence of Club modules is provided. To participate, teachers or Club leaders attend a workshop in early Fall with a follow-up session in the Spring.
Adventure Packs
Garden Adventure Packs contain maps and supplies for hands-on science activities, plant hunts, and forest explorations, to be completed in different areas of the Garden. There is a $20 charge for all packs which may be used for up to three hours. A driver's license must be left behind until the packs are returned.
Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts can earn Daisy, Brownie and Junior badges though special Botanical Garden programs. Programs are scheduled on week-days from 3:30 to 5:00 pm depending on staff availability. Interested Scout leaders can call 706-542-6156 or e-mail sbgeduc@uga.edu.
Other Programs
Some of the many other children's programs offered throughout the year include Monarch Madness, Conservatory Rambles, Stream Adventures, Night Hikes, Kid's Cooking, and gardening and nature craft classes. To learn more about these programs and scheduled offerings, please see our registration page.
