Welcome to the Children's Garden & Art Center! Enter a world of make-believe where fairies dance, hobbits work, pirates sail the high seas and Snuffy our resident dragon keeps a watchful eye over the garden. We encourage you to explore, imagine and play in the dirt, but please do not disturb, harm or destroy any of the plants or sculptures while visiting. Preserving the garden's natural beauty and keeping a wildlife habitat for our animal friends is what makes it so MAGICAL! The Children's Garden was created to remind children and adults about how precious each piece of nature is and to experience the magic of MOTHER NATURE!
SUMMER HOURS REMINDER:
Starting June 1st, The Garden will be closing at 4pm Tuesday - Friday. We will remain open until 5pm on the weekends & closed on Mondays.
Dragon Hunt
Saturday, July 28th at 10am! 
*This event is Free for Garden Members & Included in Regular Admission for non-Members. 
Once upon a time a Magical Realm was filled with Dragons! We think they have landed at The Children's Garden so on Saturday, July 28th we are off on a ROARING adventure to find hidden Dragon Eggs!! BUT FIRST, we must make our "Fruity Oops" necklaces to take with us on our hunt! This will give us magical strength if we get tired. We will start our Dragon Hunt at 10:15 AM by gathering in our Outdoor Amphitheater to listen to a Dragon Tale and meet with our Master Dragon Trainer to learn about these Mythical Creatures! A prize will be presented to the Knight who finds the Magical Golden Dragon Egg! 
YOU DO NOT NEED TO PRE-REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT! INCLUDED IN GARDEN ADMISSION.
Doors Open at 9:45am!! We will begin our hunt close to 10:15am, so please make sure you arrive early to join in on the fun because once all the eggs are found, the hunt will be over!! Pack a lunch and play in the Garden afterwards. ​
Mermaid & Pirate Party
Saturday, August 11th at 2pm! 
*This event is by Registration & Pre-Payment Only!
You may purchase tickets below or by calling the Garden (941) 330-1711.

Mermaid or Pirate, which will ye' be? Join us for a cool adventure under the sea! Calling all mermaids and pirates for a swashbuckling time at The Children's Garden! Starfish wand making for mermaids, cutlass creations for pirates, snacks from the sea including, shark's teeth sandwiches, fish & chips (Goldfish), pearl cupcakes and ocean water! A treasure hunt to find loot bags will delight each mermaid and pirate! 

Ticket Prices: (Each ticket includes one child & one adult's admission)
$20 + Tax for Garden Members 
$25 + Tax  for Non-Members

*Each child participating must have their own ticket (Recommended for children ages 4+). Tickets include snacks, crafts and treasure hunt for one child and grants admission for one chaperone. If you have extra adults attending, they will need to pay regular garden admission. If you have questions about how many tickets to purchase for your family or group, please give us a call directly. Thanks!! 
NON-MEMBERS PURCHASE TICKETS HERE:
Non-Members (Ticket Includes Admission for 1 Child & 1 Adult):
GARDEN MEMBERS PURCHASE TICKETS HERE:
Garden Members(Ticket Includes Admission for 1 Child & 1 Adult):

Weekly Schedule 
Keep your kids connected to nature & enjoy our art, gardening & nature classes each week. Each class is designed for kids of all ages !​ Included with regular admission & free for Garden Members. 
​*All classes are parent supervised. 

Monday - CLOSED
​Tuesday - "Art Rocks"
Every Tuesday from 11:00 AM - Noon the kiddo's will make a fun art project inspired by nature.
Wednesday - "Munch, Crunch, Grow Your Lunch!" 
Come enjoy the magic of gardening every Wednesday at 11:00 AM. Each week we learn about a vegetable or edible herb for you to plant. Take your seed home to watch grow!  
Thursday - "Thrifty Thrusdays"
Discounted Admission Prices All Day!
Adults: $8 + Tax
Children 3-12 y/o: $4 + Tax
Children 2 y/o and younger: FREE
Friday -  "Nature Explorers"
Every Friday at 11:00 AM Sharp! Let's observe the Wonders of Mother Nature in our own backyard. With nature baskets in hand, we will be off on an adventure to discover and explore. A nature craft will tie our learning all together. Each Friday will be a different theme, so check back for each weekly exploration.
We would like to thank the Bety N. Giles Charitable Foundation Inc. for awarding The Children's Garden a $1,500 grant. Bety Giles loved children and gardening! We are honored to be a recipient of this beautiful gift!  

We would like to thank our community for voting
​The Children's Garden a Finalist for best Children's Attractions for 2018!​​

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!
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.
Down the winding path you will find the Monster Garden where our giant green dragon "Snuffy" resides with her other fun & unusual monster friends.
 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.
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.

Sarasota's #1 Place For Having Your Child's Birthday / Celebration

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.
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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.
 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!