Get your kids and entire family hooked on plants and nature at the North Carolina Botanical Garden!
From preschool classes to camps to weekend family programs, our engaging, hands-on learning experiences connect children with the natural world and cultivate a lifelong love for science-learning.
We also offer opportunities for families to explore and play on their own – outdoors in the Children’s Wonder Garden and indoors in the Peacock Discovery Room.
AGES 6-8
School's Out Camps 2024-25
School's out for a teacher workday or spring break? Get your child outdoors and into nature at the Garden!
Designed for young nature enthusiasts and led by experienced environmental educators, our school's out camps offer a perfect blend of outdoor exploration, wildlife discovery, and creative indoor activities.
Camp Flytrap 2025
Does your child love being outdoors and exploring nature? Are you looking for an engaging and enriching summer camp that features hands-on learning, small group sizes, experienced educators, and loads of fun? Camp Flytrap is for you!
Early Registration for Members (Household & Above): Jan 28, 2025; 12noon. Public Registration: Jan 30, 2025; 12 noon.
NatureFest 2024
Join us on Saturday, October 19 from 1-4 p.m. for NatureFest: a FREE, family-friendly celebration of our native plants and animals!
Explore the wonders of nature through fun, hands-on activity stations set up throughout the Garden. Locopops will be available for purchase. All ages welcome, but the event is designed for families with children up to age 10. No registration necessary.
Nature Activities for Kids
Enjoy the great outdoors with this list of nature-themed activities for all ages to help you get your Vitamin N (nature)! Get instructions for simple activities you can do from home or here at the Garden, download nature-based scavenger hunts, and more.
Be sure to visit the
Children's Wonder Garden
Explore and play in this space designed for children of all ages. It's a work in progress, but we invite you to discover the fun features we have completed. You can jump tree stumps . . . build with natural blocks . . . dig in the dirt . . . write a note to the fairies . . . bird watch at the bird blind . . . and much more. Come back often and watch us grow!
A Guide for Boosting Children's Healthy Development and Creativity
Nature Play at Home
We recommend that parents and educators check out “Nature Play at Home: A Guide for Boosting Children’s Healthy Development and Creativity.” Developed by the National Wildlife Federation and the Natural Learning Initiative (NC State University), this guide is a great tool for creating engaging outdoor play spaces in your backyard, patio, or balcony.