Ithaca Children's Garden

Programs & Events

Check out the Program and Events Calendar

Gaia's Happy Hatchday Celebration

Saturday July 31, 2010, 2-7pm

Gaia's Turning 5! ~ Come celebrate!
It's a big year for our beloved turtle. Gaia turns 5 this summer and we're gearing up for a bigger, more fantastic Hatchday. First off, we've changed the time. Festivities begin at 2pm and will continue into the evening.

In addition to your favorite Children's Garden activities, members of Ithaca's Discovery Trail will also be joining us at the Garden for great hands-on activities. We welcome back Onondaga Nation storyteller Perry Ground who has been a cornerstone of the event for the past three years. We also welcome Amy Puryear who will delight with children's songs and Lee Welles, author of the Gaia Girls series.

There will be a $10 per family suggested donation this year that includes all the hands-on activities and great performances mentioned above but also includes a local foods buffet, cake and ice cream and music by The Yardvarks featuring John Simon, the Pearly Snaps, and the ever popular Nate & Kate.

Make it a day at the Garden. Fun for all ages, a yummy light summer dinner, and great family-friendly music. Be sure to check out the silent auction running throughout the event and help support Garden education programs. Special thanks to this year's event sponsor: The Home Depot and supporters: Zelmar Construction Sales, Purity Ice Cream, and Fingerlakes Baking Company.

Find out more!
Schedule of Events
Silent Auction Items

Learn more about the Spring Open House, Turtle Hatchday Celebration, the Pumpkin Jam, and the Scarecrow Jubilee

Education Programs For Children and Families...

Garden Chefs

Sundays, May - September (see dates below), 1-2:30pm
Gardening, cooking, and culture combine in this innovative program in partnership with CERIS, the Cornell Educational Resource for International Studies. 6 international food plots will be grown in our Edible Garden and one or more will be highlighted during each session. Cost is $4 per child. No need to register.

Dates:
6 consecutive Sundays in August and September...
August 15: Chinese Cooking
August 22: Latin American Cooking
August 29: Southeast Asian Cooking
September 5: South Asian Cooking
September 12: European Cooking
September 19: Southeast Asian and African Cooking

Summer Sprouts

Wednesdays, June 23 - Sept. 15, 10-11am
Experience the wonders of gardening through stories and hands-on gardening projects. For preschoolers ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers. Meet at the Ithaca Children's Garden for stories about gardens and the creatures that live there. Help grow vegetables and flowers: plant seeds, pull weeds, dig in the soil, water, smell flowers, taste veggies, and more! This drop-in program meets in the Growing Gardens near the colorful shed. Donations welcomed. No need to register.

Art in the Garden

Mondays July 12 - August 30, 10-11am
Find your muse in the Garden. We'll collect inspiration and materials to make beautiful art in and from the Garden. A new project every week. For ages 4 and up with a caregiver. Cost is $2 per child. No need to register.

Family Fun Workshops

Midsummer Fairy Gardens
Sat. July 17, 11-12:30pm
Summer is a magical time in the Garden. Come learn about fairy lore, build fairy houses, weave wands, and mix up fairy dust. Learn how to create a fairy garden and take home seeds to get one started.
The cost is $8 per child, $14 per family. Space is limited. Registration requested: 272-2292 x186 or lam26@cornell.edu.

Bug Quest
Sat. July 24, 11-12pm
Catch, observer, learn about and release incredible insects that make their hoes in meadows, wetlands, and backyards. For ages 4 and up. The cost is $6 per child, $10 per family. Registration requested: 272-2202 or lam26@cornell.edu.

Pizza on the Grill
Sun. July 8, 2:30-4pm
Garden fresh pizzas made by you and cooked at the Ithaca Children's Garden. Join ICG volunteer Raf Chew for a workshop on how to prepare and cook pizza on an outdoor grill. Harvest your favorite ingredients from the Edible Garden and learn pizza-making tips and tricks. We'll cook and eat our pizzas in the Garden and there will be recipes to take home. For ages 5 and up with an adult. The cost is $6 per child, $10 per family. Registration requested: 272-2202 or lam26@cornell.edu.

Pumpkin Jam and Scarecrow Jubilee

Saturday October 16, 2010
We will celebrate "all things autumn" at this fall-festive community event. Activities include scarecrow making, pumpkin carving, and other garden-related activities. The event is free. Pumpkins will be sold for $1-$5. Donations welcome.

Winter Sprouts

Wednesdays January-March, 10-11am
For children ages 2 to 5 and their caregivers. Join the Ithaca Children's Garden January - March at Mama Goose for a garden-themed story and hands-on activities. Donations welcomed. No need to register

Education Program For Teens...

Youth Horticulture Apprentice Program

Work hard, learn a lot, have fun! is the motto of this horticulture apprentice program for teens. ICG's longest running program employees youth each summer to care for the Garden, develop horticultural skills, and explore career opportunities in the green industry. Learn more....

Education Programs For Schools...

Seed to Salad

Interested in bringing a salad garden to your school or youth program? The Salad Farmers program broadened and adapted to a semester-long school-based program called Seed to Salad. Kids take ownership of designing, planting, care taking, and harvesting a salad plot. This is another great way for kids to become connected into their food system.

Plant Science After School Enrichment

Are you looking for a way to bring some green into your classroom during the squishy spring? The Plant Science After School program is offered each spring between the mid-winter and spring break at elementary schools throughout Tompkins County. We cover all sorts of topics, ranging from Amazing Seeds! to Perfect Propagation! over the course of five sessions.

Wetlands Ecology

Kids of all ages can explore one of the newer elements of the Garden. Learn about what is involved in a wetlands ecosystem, from plants and animals to how wetlands can effect our daily lives. We encourage all sorts of exploration, so we'll provide the nets and field guides, and you can bring your sense of adventure!

Preschool and Kindergarten Classroom Programs:

Spring into Gardening, Habitat Adventures, and Field Trips to the Garden
We are currently scheduling programs for 2010. If you're interested in more information or scheduling a program please contact the Ithaca Children's Garden at 272-2292 ext. 122 or ithacachildrensgarden@cornell.edu. View the program brochure.