It's not just for kids!

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Special Events in the Children's Garden - free admission

Tough economic times shouldn't stop families from enjoying the garden and learning why green spaces are so important. Today's economy has also been very tough on Leila Arboretum Society, so please remember to support our nonprofit to show you value the earth, too. Donations are gratefully accepted.

September 19 International Day 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy ethnic foods, dancers and more. From 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. watch Latin dancers Paulette Rieger and Jack Hunt demonstrate bachata, salsa, cha-cha-cha and merengue, and talk about the origins of the high-energy dances. Join in and move to the intoxicating beat of the Latin music while dancing the merengue. From 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. watch Bellyfusion perform belly dances from the Middle East, India, Northern Europe and Africa. From 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. learn about fire safety in the Battle Creek Fire Department's Smokehouse. Children age four and older can get fingerprinted for the Child ID program. Throughout the day, get your painted for a minimal fee and pot a free plant to take home.

October 3 Scarecrow Jubilee 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come to see dozens of amazing scarecrows in the garden and make your very own to take home! Bring old clothes from home or choose from some we have on hand. Old mismatched gloves and hats make awesome additions to scarecrows! Children age four and older can get fingerprinted for the Child ID program. Children of all ages can get their face painted.

October 24 Garden Boo Fest in cooperation with Kingman Museum's Spooky Science Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join us for a Halloween celebration and trick-or-treat in the Children's Garden all decorated for this holiday! Children age four and older can get fingerprinted for the Child ID program. Children of all ages can get their face painted. From 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. learn about fire safety in the Battle Creek Fire Department's Smokehouse.

For more information about special event days, call Nancy Jones at (269) 969-0270 x 120.

Click here for information about the No Child Left Inside initiative. For a parent's guide to exploring nature with children, check out the National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour. Or click here for more information on nature deficit disorder.

Recent Events at the Children's Garden

June 14 Leila Carboretum. Visitors enjoyed Children's Garden on its opening day and saw great cars in the arboretum!

June 20 Birthday Bash. Many people celebrated the 6th birthday of the Children's Garden's with birthday cake, a cupcake walk and lots of fun!

June 27-28 Battle Creek Garden Tour. Guests who visited the Children's Garden to get their garden tour tickets saw what's new in the Children's Garden this year!

July 11 Faerie Festival. Hundreds joined us for faerie tales, wearing their own faerie costumes, enjoying dancers and stilt walkers and making their own faerie garden.

July 18 Butterflies and Blooms Day The butterfly release was a big hit! Children learned about July flowers and the butterflies that drink from them, participated in games with prizes, got their faces painted and potted free plants to take home, compliments of United Educational Credit Union. Children also learned about fire safety in the Battle Creek Fire Department’s Safety Trailer and saw the “Smoke House.” The Battle Creek Police Department fingerprinted children for the child ID program.

August 1 Art in the Garden Kids of all ages enjoyed watching artists at work. They got a chance to do sidewalk chalk art, play games, get their faces painted, and make nosegays (small bouquets). The artists and musicians were great. Children were fingerprinted by the Battle Creek Police Department for the child ID program. Everyone enjoyed this beautiful garden filled with music and even more art!

August 15 Groovy Garden Critters 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. learn from Wildlife Biologist Jim McGrath and touch live Michigan reptiles and amphibians. Participate in a live ladybug release at 1 p.m. Visit our new Worm House, explore the garden, catch bugs and get your face painted! See firsthand what worms and their garden friends do in the soil to make it the perfect place for plants to grow. Children age four and older can get fingerprinted for the Child ID program.

August 29 Save the Planet Day 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Learn about recycling, composting and more! From 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. learn about fire safety in the Battle Creek Fire Department's Smokehouse. Children age four and older can get fingerprinted for the Child ID program. Children of all ages can get their face painted.

See how the Children's Garden gas grown in six years!

Kids, Curiosity and Connections
Plants affect every aspect of our lives because all living things are connected.The Children’s Garden is a one-acre site that makes this connection real through delightful, engaging guided programs or self-discovery. Plant-related activities in this fenced, 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 has a covered pavilion and separate restrooms, providing shelter for programs and private gatherings.

Discoveries to be made at the Children’s Garden

Cupola Science Plaza
Q. What is a cupola?
A. A cupola is a small structures on top of a building. Cupolas can be used to view long distances, aid ventilation or just provide an interesting ornament on a building.

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 making 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 true that you can tell time with your body and the help of the sun?
A. Yes, it is. Try it and see in the Sundial Garden.

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 our gardens?
A. Believe it or not, worms are wonderful! The Worm House is a favorite place for children visiting the gardens.

Many more areas for exploration and delightful discovery await you in the Children’s Garden. Come be captivated by the Butterfly Garden and learn about the lifecycle of these fluttering friends. Watch children squeal with glee to see 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 Leila 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 under Grounds Rental.