Follow the yellow brick room into a land of enchantment & make-believe where little pirates can sail the high seas on The Pirate Queen, fairies can have tea in fairyland & kids can climb towards the clouds in our tree fort! The Woodland Cafe waits in Hobbitville for kids to create mud pies or mud cakes, the rain forest beckons kids to run through the cool mist & our costume room welcomes kids to dress up for creative fun! We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and public charitable organization and rely on admission and donations to support our mission, which is to keep kids connected to nature. We do so through fostering imaginative play as well as offering weekly nature and art programs for children. We hope to see you soon!
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Hours of operation
Tuesday through Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm Saturday & Sunday: 10:00am - 5:00pm Closed Mondays **We will close early at 3pm on May 26th.** |
Admission
Adults and Teenagers 13 years & up: $10+tax Children 3 years & up: $6+tax Children under 2: free |
Sign-ups are now open for our 2022 Summer Camp!
You can fill out our registration form and waiver online here, or grab one in person at the Garden. Payment for camp can be made through PayPal on our Summer Camp page, over the phone, or in person.
You can fill out our registration form and waiver online here, or grab one in person at the Garden. Payment for camp can be made through PayPal on our Summer Camp page, over the phone, or in person.
Don't forget! Each week we offer 20% off admission prices on Thrifty Thursday, where adults get in for $8+tax and children get in for just $5+tax!
Special Closing Notice: We will be closing at 3:00pm on May 26th and reopen at 10am the next day for normal business hours.
- Tuesday, May 24th, 11-11:30am Leaf Monsters A silly craft with leaves and googly eyes that’s perfect for little hands
- Friday, May 27th, 11-11:30am Fairytales and Magic Wands We’ll read the story, “Alice the Fairy,” and make nature wands with markers, stickers and ribbons.
- Tuesday, May 31st, 11-11:30am Nature Bookmark Making We’re making our own one-in-a-kind bookmarks today by pressing leaves into ink pads and using them like stamps.
May's Newsletter is now available!
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Click here to learn about our annual memberships!
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Have you heard about our little plant nursery called Frog Fruit Farms? Now for Sale - your favorite plants from the garden and more! Pink Ball Dombeya that's ready to bloom, rooted fig trees in pots, succulents, bromeliads and more! Get a gift certificate today to buy plants, or use in our giftshop and admission! All sales support our nonprofit mission, "Keeping kids connected to nature!" Thank you!
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Birthday Parties at The Garden |
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Looking for a space to celebrate more safely with a small gathering? The Garden is completely outdoors with lots of room for your party of up to 24 guests. To make your party even more special, check out our Nature Add-Ons, unique and whimsical crafts & activities where we handle 100% of the prep and the mess! For more information on parties, visit our page here.
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Program Events:
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Check Out Some Of Our
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Keep updated with us by signing up to our email and following all our Social Media accounts!
Click the image to go to our Facebook Page! |
Click the image to go to our Instagram Page! |
Click the image to go to our Twitter Page! |
The Children's Garden & Art Center is where the magic and fun begins!
Explore! Imagine! Make-Believe!
Nestled just north of downtown Sarasota, a hidden gem waits to be explored. The Children's Garden & Art Center is a two acre garden that is both whimsical and enchanting. Take a look at our map and see what's inside! Please note this is a computerized image of the garden we are very natural & interactive garden!
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Just like "Alice", kids and adults alike will feel as if they have fallen down a rabbit's hole to "Wonderland"! Magic begins at the yellow brick road where entering the jasmine covered tunnel "The Black Pearl" awaits for little pirates to set sail, the Amazing Maze turns and twists down paths of intrigue and the Fairy Garden welcomes all fairies and elves for tea under the mushrooms.
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Down the winding path you will find the Monster Garden where our giant green dragon "Snuffy" resides with her other fun & unusual monster friends.
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The 3 little pigs dare any big bad wolf to blow their houses down in our Butterfly Garden. Next door is our Caterpillar Cottage which hosts lots of birthday parties and celebrations with it's "Snow White" theme and twinkling lights.
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Nature, gardening and art classes are taught weekly at the garden to nurture and teach children the beauty in Mother Nature. Whether it is our "Art Rocks" class, our "Munch Crunch Grow Your Lunch" class or our "Nature Explorers" class to name a few, our mission is to keep kids connected to nature at The Children's Garden & Art Center.
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Sarasota's #1 Place For Having Your Child's Birthday / Celebration
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The Children's Garden is an enchanting place to host your child's birthday party. Where else can kids dress up in costumes and make believe in a safe, multi- themed & natural environment?
There are many whimsical and interactive themes available to host, including a Fairy Tea, A Pirate Party, a Can You Dig It Party and more! More Info... |
Discover one of Sarasota's best kept secrets, where the children inside all of us can come out to play, explore and imagine the possibilities of wonderment and fun! Check out our calendar.
The Children's Garden was created in 2003 by Joan Marie Condon who wanted a special place for children to come and leave the electronic world behind and discover new adventures in the natural world. Together with her husband David, artisan sons Ray and Roy and daughter Robin Fulk, The Children's Garden is a small piece of wonder, a place for creative play and to find magic in Mother Nature.
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The Children's Garden & Art Center became a non-profit 501 C (3) and public charitable organization in the fall of 2009. We do yearly fundraisers for "All Faith's Food Bank", the "Humane Society of Sarasota" and "Make-A-Wish Foundation". Our wish is to continue our education classes in hopes of teaching our children to become good stewards of the earth. Help support this safe haven for children of all ages!
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