IT'S NOT JUST FOR KIDS!

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2009 Summer Event Series in the Children's Garden

Check it out! Although it was a tough decision, the Children's Garden 2009 Summer Event Series will again include free admission for the public. The Leila Arboretum staff feels the tough economic times shouldn't stop families from enjoying the garden and learning why our green spaces are so incredibly important. As this economy is also very tough on us, please remember to support the Leila Arboretum and donate to show you value the earth, too, when visiting the Children's Garden! Thank you and have a happy and safe 2009!

June 14th is Carboretum from 9am-4pm Leila Arboretum Car Show. Come see the Children's Garden on its opening day and see great cars in the arboretum!

June 20th is The Birthday Bash from 10am-4pm Join us for the Children's Garden's 6th Birthday! Join us for cake and lots of fun!

The weekend of June 27th and 28th is the Battle Creek Garden Tour from 10am-4pm. Visit the Children's Garden first to get your tickets for the rest of the tour and see what is new at the arboretum at the same time!

July 11th is Faerie Festival from 10am-4pm. Join us for faerie tales, faerie costumes (and where your own), dancers, stilt walkers and make your own faerie garden.

July 18 is Butterflies & Blooms Day from 10am-4pm. Check out the July flowers and the butterflies who drink from them. Don't miss the butterfly release and let one land on you!

August 1st is Art in the Garden from 10am-4pm. Don't miss this beautiful garden filled with music and even more art!

August 15th join us to celebrate Groovy Garden Critters from 10am-4pm. Touch worms and ladybugs. Explore the garden and catch bugs in your very own bug box. See first hand what worms and their garden friends do in the soil to make it the perfect place for plants to grow!

August 29th join us just before school is back in session to help Save the Planet from 10am-4pm! Learn how to help tame the paper monster of school days, learn about all the cool recycled school supplies available, learn how to pack an environmentally friendly lunch and how to compost the leftovers!

September 19th is International Day from 10am-3pm! Join us in exploring exotic plants and the people who know them.

October 3rd is Scarecrow Jubilee from 10am-3pm. Come to see all of the amazing scarecrows in the garden (more than 60 at last count) and make your very own scarecrow to take home! Bring your old clothes from home that you've outgrown or choose from some we have on hand. Old mismatched gloves and hats make awesome additions to scarecrows!

October 24th is Garden Boo Fest with Kingman Museum's Spooky Science Saturday from 11am-5pm. Join us for a Halloween themed celebration and trick or treat in the garden all decorated for this spooky holiday!

Click here for info about No Child Left Inside or for a parent's guide for exploring nature with children check out the National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour or here for more information on Nature Deficit Disorder.

For more information about programming or special events series, contact Nancy Jones of the Leila Arboretum Society at 269-969-0270 x120.

See How the Children's Garden Has Grown in Five Years!

Kids, Curiosity & Connections!
Plants affect every aspect of our lives because all living things are connected. The Children’s Garden is a one-acre site that through delightful, engaging guided programs or self-discovery, makes this connection real. Plant-related activities in this safe, easily-accessible environment encourage kids to use all their senses to connect plants to the sciences, history, literature, and the arts. The Garden’s many Battle Creek and Michigan-themed features are kid magnets! The Garden opened in 2003 and has a classroom, restrooms, drinking fountain, and a bright new pavilion, providing wonderful shelter for programs and private gatherings.

Discoveries to be made at the Children’s Garden

Cupola Science Plaza
Q. What is a cupola?
A. Cupolas are small structures, usually a dome on top of a building. They can be used to view long distances, aid ventilation, or just for looks.

The cupola at the Children?s Garden once stood proudly atop a famous fieldstone sanitarium in Battle Creek where people could go to rest and recuperate in the early 1900s. Caring people gave it a new home and today it is a fun place to gather in the Garden to enjoy a snack, learn something new, and make new friends. It is surrounded by four mini-gardens that share Battle Creek’s special link to the health food industry.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Garden
Q. Where do peanut butter and jelly come from?
A. Peanut butter comes from peanuts and jelly is made from fruits, including strawberries and grapes. These foods grow in the Children’s Garden! If you come when the strawberries are ripe in June or the grapes are ripe in August you can have a taste!

Healthy Me Area
Kids can make connections to the role that plants play in making their stomachs happy. The centerpiece of this area is a giant salad bowl garden with four mini gardens nearby.

Q. Mmmm. Good stuff goes into the making of a pizza. Do you know what it is? Who ate the missing slice of veggie pizza in our Pizza Garden?
A. (We know, but we’re not telling! Come find out for yourself.)

Q. What makes your soap and shampoo smell so good? It can’t be something from a plant, can it?
A. Yes, it can and at the Spa Garden you can smell for yourself!

Q. Your parents tell you to eat your veggies because they are good for you. But do you know which vegetables are the most nutritious? Is broccoli on the list?
A. (Come find out in our Top Ten Veggies Garden and eat up!)

Q. The people who lived in Michigan a long time ago did not have prescriptions for pills or lotions when they felt sick or had an injury. What did they do to get well?
A. They used herbs and other plants, many of which we still use today. Some of them are right here in our Healing Herbs Garden.

Cereal Bowl Area
A visit to Battle Creek would not be complete without learning about cereal. Here children can see where cereal comes from and grind their own grains and corn.

Rain and Shine Garden
Q. Is it really true that you can tell time with your body and the help of the sun?
A. Yes, it is true. Try it and see.

Balloon Overlook
Q. What does a hot air balloon have to do with a garden?
A. Plenty, when the garden is in Battle Creek, well known for its hot-air balloon events. Our replica of “Bob’s Cat” honors one of the city’s most famous balloons!

The Rot Zone
Q. Would you believe that worms and rotting fruits and veggies are important to our world and even to the gardens we grow?
A. Believe it or not, worms are wonderful! The Worm House is a favorite place for children visiting the gardens.

There are still many more areas for exploration and delightful discovery in the Children’s Garden we haven’t described. Come be captivated by the Butterfly Garden and learn about the lifecycle of these fluttering friends. Watch children squeal with glee to find that there are plants that perform, look like animals, or have names from A to Z. There are plants that became a part of popular stories like Jack and the Beanstalk and even gardens that are made beautiful with stones, water, and carefully-chosen colors.

Have a Private Party in the Children’s Garden or Arboretum!
Children’s Garden and Leila Arboretum sites are available for birthdays, ceremonies and private events for families, adults or children with adult supervision. Call to discuss arrangements for special events and see information elsewhere on this website.

Children’s Birthday Parties: Reserved under pavilion. Call 969-0270 ext. 116 to discuss rates and items.