Children's Courses

Join us for a campout designed especially for families! Pitch your tent on the lawn inside the Children’s Garden and get ready for a night filled with fun at The Morton Arboretum. (SOLD OUT) August 17 through 18, 2018, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Please check our Calendar of events for more youth and family programs.

Each day we will hike, read stories, and play in this 4–week sensory based outdoor adventure. Adults will also receive tips to continue exploration at home at The Morton Arboretum! (SOLD OUT) Four Tuesdays, September 4 through 25, 2018, 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.

Each day we will hike, read stories, and play in this 4–week sensory based outdoor adventure. Adults will also receive tips to continue exploration at home at The Morton Arboretum! Four Thursdays, September 6 through 27, 2018, 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

Dig in the dirt, wiggle like worms and investigate the world under our feet in this interactive, sensory based program. We’ll also take a short hike and listen to stories and play in the dirt at The Morton Arboretum! (SOLD OUT) Tuesday August 7, or Wednesday, August 15, 2018, 9:30 to 10:45 a.m.

NEW! How do animals and plants grow up with roots, scales, or tails? Dive into the lifecycles of green creatures around the Arboretum and see them up close! Monday through Friday, June 25 through 29, or July 23 through July 27, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Travel back to the dinosaur age! Discover different dinosaurs. Learn what they ate, where they lived, and the trees that grew when dinosaurs were alive while exploring The Morton Arboretum. Monday through Friday, Dates and times vary starting June 18, 2018. Multiple sections.

Leaves come in all shapes, sizes, and colors! Let your imagination run wild as you discover what you can create with leaves at The Morton Arboretum. Monday through Friday, June 18 through 22, August 6 through 10, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to noon, or July 16 through 20, 2018, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Get ready for some boot-sloshin’ fun! Go fishing at the Arboretum. Play games, make crafts, and read stories about fish at The Morton Arboretum. Monday through Friday, June 11 through 15, or July 30 through August 3, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to noon, or July 9 through 13, 2018, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

How do tadpoles turn into frogs? How do turtles grow up? Together we’ll uncover fun facts, search for croaking frogs and basking turtles, play games, make crafts, and meet live turtles at The Morton Arboretum. Monday through Friday, June 11 through 15, or July 30 through August 3, 2018, 2018, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., or July 9 through 13, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Rev up for a week of wet, hydrodynamic explorations! Slosh buckets and dip nets into Arboretum lakes to examine water-loving insects and plants. Monday through Friday, June 18 through 22, or July 16 through 20, or August 6 through 10, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Become a nature artist! Use nature as your inspiration to explore texture, color, and dimension. Learn about different artists’ techniques and create your own nature-related artwork to take home at The Morton Arboretum. Monday through Friday, June 11 through 15, or July 9 through 13, or July 30 through August 3, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Gear up for a daytime camping excursion! Learn how to pitch a tent, fish, and make s’mores. Enjoy nature games, hikes, and songs at The Morton Arboretum. Monday through Friday, June 18 through 22, or July 9 through 13, or July 23 through 27, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Put on your gardening gloves and get ready to dig in the dirt. Examine flowers up close with microscopes, watch seeds germinate and decorate flower pots at The Morton Arboretum. Monday through Friday, June 11 through 15, or July 30 through August 3, 2018, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., or July 9 through 13, 2018, 9:00 a.m. to noon.