Are you cooped up inside this winter and looking for things to do with toddlers and little children in Chicago? Why not make your way to the Garfield Park Conservatory for some free activities in February and March, 2010? Try the free Morning Glories program on Mondays! (see below).
Garfield Park Conservatory is a fantastic place to bring family members of all ages for free fun. Something’s always growing, and there’s always something new to discover! To make your “growing” experience here even more enjoyable, we offer a number of special educational opportunities free for kids and families! Come visit the Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden, which is open during normal Conservatory hours, or visit us during one of our scheduled activity times.
Monday Morning Glories for Families
Every Monday Morning 
Date: Year Round
Time: Drop in anytime between 10 am – Noon
No registration required.
Location: Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden
Cost: $1 suggested donation per family
Adult supervision is required for participation in the Morning Glory Mondays Program. For more information call Kelly Katzmann at 773 638-1766 ext. 23 or email kkatzmann@garfieldpark.org.
Enjoy learning together with your preschooler during this weekly drop-in activity and storytime. Projects are fun, interactive, and encourage children’s curiosity about plants. Preschoolers and their care-givers participate within a group of children to complete a hands-on activity and listen to a related story. Each group session takes approximately 20 minutes. After completing your project, be sure to stick around to dig in the soil, shake musical plant instruments, or help water our plants. (interactives change weekly). We do suggest a donation of $1.00 to help cover the cost of materials.
* Morning Glories breaks for holidays and special programming. There will be no program on the following dates: Monday, February 15 (Presidents’ Day)
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Morning Glories Projects in February and March 2010
February 1
Cinnamon Heart Necklaces
Adorn yourself with a great-smelling Valentine necklace using a plant we can find right here in the Conservatory. Be sure to visit our cinnamon tree in the Sugar from the Sun Room.
February 8
Chocolate Chuckers
Wouldn’t it be great if chocolate grew on trees? Well, actually it does! Learn how chocolate is made from the seeds of the Cacao tree, growing right here in the Conservatory. Then, make a great smelling bean bag using chocolate hulls.
February 15
No Programs
No programs due to President’s Day.
February 22
Alphabet Dig & Letters
Hunt for the letters of the alphabet in our soil pit, then plant a grass seed letter.
March 1
Desert Terrariums
Learn about the amazing plants that grow in this harsh, hot and dry place. Then make a terrarium filled with succulents and a toy lizard to take home.
March 8
Nutty Fun
What can you make out of a walnut shell? Get creative with this plant part and make a cradle, boat, or even a mouse to take home.
March 15
Sugar and Spice Necklaces
Discover the more fragrant plants in the Conservatory’s collection, including cinnamon and orange trees. Then, make a necklace using parts of these plants to take home. Participants will also learn about the function of each plant part.
March 22
Beanie Babies
Plant a black-eyed pea in a pint-size bag, then wear it close to your heart to care for your Beanie Baby.
March 29
Jelly Bean Bags
Sort different types of beans, including jelly beans, by color and then make your own bean-er-rific bag to play our basket toss game.
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Did you know that Chicago’s botanical gem under glass, the Garfield Park Conservatory, has been home to rare tropical plants for over 100 years? (The Garfield Park Conservatory opened for free to the public in April of 1908.) The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance offers a number of exciting free programs year round that explore the power of plants. Be sure to check out our website for free program information and updates. For additional information please call 773-638-1766 ext 23.
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Plant’s Alive!
The Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden
Open Every Day of the Year
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily; Wednesdays till 8 pm
Where: Inside The Conservatory — Southwest Wing
Cost: Free
Ages: All
The Children’s Garden is located inside the Garfield Park Conservatory, is open every day of the year to all visitors! Read on for important information and don’t miss out on our “Discovery Area” and free “Weekend Activity Time” sessions in the Children’s Garden..
Inside this botanical wonderland, a gigantic vine beckons children to trace it from root to blossom, while a 7-foot-tall seed waits to be climbed. Here, the curious can unravel the many mysteries of plant life, and the adventurous can hunt for some of the most unusual specimens found in the Garfield Park Conservatory (some of which are included on our downloadable Eye Spy Conservatory Hunt). Young explorers will encounter the Sensitive Plant, so shy that it cringes when touched, and the Balsa Tree, which emits a hollow sound when the trunk is tapped.
Free Scavenger Hunt Daily
Daily Program
Date: Year Round
Time: Scavenger sheet available during all exhibit hours.
Activity will be available at front desk
Location: Conservatory
Cost: Free
Fold and create a special origami toy containing hidden messages about plants. This educational and interactive scavenger hunt will lead you to discoveries in the Sugar from the Sun exhibit and around the Conservatory. When you’re done, take it home and use it again and again!
