Garfield Park Conservatory is a fantastic place to bring family members of all ages. 
Something’s always growing, and there’s always something new to discover! To make your experience here even more enjoyable, we offer a number of educational opportunities FREE for kids and families!
Family programs are supported in part by Peoples Gas Community Fund and PNC.
Looking to bring the experience of the Conservatory’s Family Programs home? Check out our online activities. Some can be printed out and brought with you while you visit!
Budding Botanists
Watch out as you explore the Conservatory – you may run into a Budding Botanist! On Saturdays and Sundays from 11:000am to 3:00pm, Nature Educators will provide activities for kids of all ages at our Budding Botanists stations. This program is included in all reservations to visit the Conservatory, book your reservation ahead of time here: here (link opens in a new tab). You can stop by and interact with the materials at the station for as long as you want to.
Budding Botanists station will be posted in different areas of the Conservatory on different days. Ask where we are at the front desk!
These stations are interactive and are all about scientific exploration, to help your family to see plants in new ways. Adults and young ones of all ages can stop by and let the learning begin!
Art After Dark
Join GPCA’s Nature Educators on Wednesday evenings to explore and discover together! This program runs every week from 4-7:30pm, and starts on November 8th, 2023. This free, drop in program is designed for kids and families ages 4 and up. Activities will follow themes of nature and science, but with a special focus on learning, processing, and making personal connections to subject matter through art. Families can enjoy open-ended collaborative or individual projects, nature journal prompts inspired by the Conservatory collection and conversations about Chicago’s ecosystems and our place in them, in a calm and inviting atmosphere!
Morning Glories
Morning Glories is a free, drop-in program designed for kids ages 0-3 and their caregivers! This program runs on Fridays from 10am-12:30pm, and starts on November 10th, 2023.The lessons will follow themes of science and nature with modifications to focus on motor skill development, sensory exploration, and social interactions between families. A typical Morning Glories session can be expected to include story times, a sensory bin, lots of blankets for crawlers and tummy-timers!
Planning a visit when we don’t have programming?
No problem! We have a variety of resources to make your self-guided visit just as fun, including scavenger hunts, digital tours, activities and more!
Photography:
All visitors to the Garfield Park Conservatory, and to Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance events and programs, may be photographed and/or filmed by staff or hired photographers. These photographs and videos may be used in Chicago Park District and/or Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance printed materials, on our website, and/or in other Conservatory promotional materials. Your attendance serves as consent to be photographed and/or filmed. If you are interested in a Photography Permit or Media Permit, Click here.