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!
Hours of operation
Tuesday through Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Closed Mondays
Tuesday through Sunday: 10:00am - 4:00pm
Closed Mondays
Admission
Adults and Teens 13 years & up: $10 +tax
Children 3 years & up: $6 +tax
Infants and toddlers 2 & under visit for free!
Adults and Teens 13 years & up: $10 +tax
Children 3 years & up: $6 +tax
Infants and toddlers 2 & under visit for free!
Don't forget! Every Thursday is Thrifty Thursday, where adults get in for $8+tax and children get in for just $5+tax!
- Friday, September 22nd, 11am The Magic of Oak Trees Learn how a tiny acorn grows into a mighty oak, then use materials from nature to decorate an acorn collage for this morning’s activity.
- Tuesday, September 26th, 11am Nature Wands Use autumn-colored yarn and beads along with leaves and branches from the garden to make your own beautiful nature wands.
Our Newsletter for September is Now Available!
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This year, we're bringing back Snuffy's famous HALLOWEEN DRAGON EGG HUNT! Put on your costumes and join us on
Saturday, October 28th for a magical scavenger hunt and find your own dragon eggs with treasure and candy inside! Whoever finds the decorated dragon egg hidden in the Garden can turn it in for a special prize!
The hunt begins at 10:00am sharp - How quickly can you find the dragon's eggs?
As a special treat, Sarasota Ben & Jerry's will be handing out FREE SCOOPS at the garden starting at 10am while supplies last! This event is included with the cost of admission and free for members while dragon eggs last.
Saturday, October 28th for a magical scavenger hunt and find your own dragon eggs with treasure and candy inside! Whoever finds the decorated dragon egg hidden in the Garden can turn it in for a special prize!
The hunt begins at 10:00am sharp - How quickly can you find the dragon's eggs?
As a special treat, Sarasota Ben & Jerry's will be handing out FREE SCOOPS at the garden starting at 10am while supplies last! This event is included with the cost of admission and free for members while dragon eggs last.
On Sunday, October 29th, we are having our "Bubble and Brew… A Witchy Halloween Just for You!" event from 10am to noon. The Garden has transformed into a Witch's Garden with a Halloween Nature Scavenger Hunt along with a Bubble & Brew Station that's sure to delight all little witches, goblins, ghouls. Color your black cat ear headbands, enjoy a story about a witch & her little animal friends, and sip on some yummy witch tea from the Garden - if you dare! Whoever wears the best witch hat will receive their own Halloween Witchy Wand craft kit. Don't forget to grab your "Hocus Pocus" trick-or-treat bag, too! This event is included with the cost of admission and free for members while supplies last.
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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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Want to make your next celebration magical? The Garden is completely outdoors with lots of room for your party of up to 30 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.
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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The Children's Garden utilizes Wondercide® and Mosquito Bits® to prevent mosquitos around the Garden, but we do recommend loose pants and applying mosquito spray before your visit this summer, as we do not use chemical insecticides.