Children & Families

Garden Adventures!

Before you venture onto the pathway, pick up a W.O.N.D.E.R. Activity Pack at the Chabraja Visitor Center with materials specially created by our Garden educators. Or drop by the W.O.N.D.E.R. table to join us for a daily activity that encourages families to Walk, Observe, Navigate, Draw, Explore, and Read.

W.O.N.D.E.R.

Join us Wednesdays – Sundays at 10:30am! Check our calendar for details.

Monthly Themes

W.O.N.D.E.R. sessions occur on the Performance Lawn unless otherwise noted.

January – Feathered Friends

Beaks, feathers, and wings, oh my! Discover the world of birds this month. Explore feathers upclose and create your own pair of binoculars to search out birds on the fly. Encourage a bird-friendly habitat in your own backyard by planting some Florida-native fiddlewood seeds.

February – Super Plants

Love is in the air, and so are plants! Turn your attention from the ground to learn about air plants, epiphytes, and orchids—what we affectionately refer to as Super Plants.

March – Fabulous Flowers

It’s that time of year when we stop and smell not just the roses, but all the wonderful blooms! Learn fascinating flower facts with a dissection activity, dream garden design challenge, flower pounding prints, and much more!

April – Bamboo-zled

Prepare to be bamboozled! You’ll be amazed to learn the many uses and benefits of bamboo. It’s strong, it’s fast, and it’s musical? Test these claims and make your own bamboo craft to take home – we bet it won’t be the only thing you own made out of bamboon. Location: Lea Asian Garden

May – Celebrate the Earth

Join us to learn about what we can do daily to help take care of our home, Planet Earth. Create art using recycled materials and explore some creative ways to reuse everyday items that might otherwise be headed for the landfill.

June – Popular Pollinators

Bees and butterflies are critical pollinators of the food we eat and the plants wildlife depend on. This month, discover how you can support native pollinators by learning how to build a bee- friendly habitat in your own backyard, going on a butterfly scavenger hunt in the Scott Florida Garden and more. It’s sure to bee a great time!

July – Floating Flora

Dive into the depths of the habitats and adaptations of aquatic plants. We’ll learn about plants that survive in the water; no floatation device necessary! Paint the vibrant colors of the flowers that float above the surface and take a peek beneath the lily pads to observe their magic up close.

August – Art Naturally

Expand your creativity by exploring the Garden in a whole new way! Discover the relationship between science and art through observing the many colors and textures displayed in nature. Then, learn about the color wheel, peek through a spectrograph, and create your own watercolor masterpiece to take home.

September – Stormy Weather & Mangroves

Did you know that mangrove habitats protect Florida’s coastline from damaging wind, rain, and currents caused by storms? Learn more about how their dense root system not only acts as a barrier between the sea and the mainland, but also provides refuge to wildlife.

October – Super Seeds

Have you ever planted a seed and waited patiently to see that first little sprout of green pop up above the soil? Even the smallest seeds contain all that a plant needs to develop into a full-grown plant to produce seeds of its own. Discover the magic of seeds—where they come from, where they go, and what they need to grow.

November – Little Green Thumbs

Learn how we take care of our vegetables, herbs, flowers, and more in this new program. You’ll even get to find out how to grow plants from cuttings, as you pot up your own little piece of the garden for home!

December – Tree-mendous Trees

Take a break from decorating your holiday tree and come hang out with the trees that make Naples Botanical Garden special. Count the rings in a tree cookie, read stories, and plant your very own Tree-mendous Tree to take home.