The Fort Worth Botanic Garden offers a monthly program from April through November for children ages 18 months – 3 years that explores the tastes, smells, colors and textures of vegetables as well as basic gardening tasks. Ideal for the little ones that love being outside, the events are set in the Backyard Vegetable Garden and are free to the public. The class size is limited to the first 18 children who arrive.
Gail Manning, education horticulturist at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, says, "Little Sprouts is an opportunity for a grownup and toddler to explore together a nature topic in a setting geared for 3 and under. Children play at garden tasks like watering or digging with a trowel. We get messy in our investigation, digging into fruits to find the seed(s) inside, an example for April. We walk around the vegetable garden and see the process of growing. We taste what's ripe. It's fun and low-key. There's a garden staff member there, but the caregiver leads the experience for her child."
Other free events include Discovery Days where families with kids 4 years old and up explore topics such as seeds and backyard composting. Garden Talks are held in June and September to inform the public about drought-tolerant plants and rain gardens. For more information about these programs at the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, call 817.392.5534 or visit fwbg.org
