Youth Education
Idaho Botanical Garden offers a variety of educational classes, camps, and school field trips for children of all ages. Over 11,000 youth visit the Garden each year for exciting discoveries with nature.
Upcoming Youth Education Classes
Garden on the RoadYouth Group ToursNature CampSeedlingsYouth Resources
Garden on the Road
When the plants are dormant in January & February, the Garden goes on the road to visit area daycare centers, preschools, and kindergartens.
This program engages student interest in the world of living things through lively audio/visual presentations, role-playing, and craft activities. Garden on the Road is appropriate for children 4 to 6 years of age.
The fee is $2/child, minimum group size is 10–24 children. For groups smaller than ten, $20 will be charged.
Contact Idaho Botanical Garden to be added to the mailing list, (208) 343-8649.
Youth Group Tours
These tours are designed to supplement school science curricula. They run mid-April through October and last approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes. A minimum group size of 10 students is required, or a payment of $25.
Contact Idaho Botanical Garden at (208) 343-8649 to make reservations or to discuss the program.
Dates/Times
Monday–Friday, April-October
Spring/Fall tour times: 9:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m.
Summer tour times:
Call for availability, Wendy Irwin, Youth Education Coordinator, (208) 275-8612.
Cost
Students preschool through middle school/junior high: $2.50/student.
Adults (one with every five students): Free, $2.50/each additional adult.
Students high school through college: $4/student.
Chaperones (one with every five students): Free, $4.00/each additional adult.
Tour Types
Nature Camp
Nature Camp is a morning science program designed for children ages 4–9 to participate in games, crafts, and nature walks at Idaho Botanical Garden during July and August.
Each class meets Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m.–noon. The campers are divided into two classes by age. Each class is limited to 20 children and is supervised by an adult teacher and two aides.
COVID-19 Planning and Camper Safety
We will be implementing several new policies to modify our programs. They are outlined below:
- Group sizes will be reduced
- Teachers will sign the children in and out
- The children will be outside as much as possible (depending on weather)
- At check in your child’s temperature will be checked with a touchless forehead thermometer, and they will wash their hands.
- If the children are inside during drop off or pick up time, we are asking all parents or family members to wait on the bricks outside the classroom for a teacher to receive or return the child. Children will spend as much time outdoors as possible.
- The teachers are collecting and returning children’s belongings at drop off and pick up times outside the classroom door
- Camp activities will not include items passed from child to child. We are investigating good practices such as providing each child with their own supplies (scissors, crayons, tape, glue, etc.) to use during the week
- Please know that we as staff will also be practicing vigorous hand washing, sanitizing, and will also be doing daily health checks
2020 Nature Camps
Seedlings
Children aged 3–5 years are invited to come, with an adult, to play and learn at Idaho Botanical Garden’s Seedlings program in July and August.
During this program children will listen to a story, go on a nature walk and make a craft related to that day’s theme. The program starts at 10 a.m. and lasts for one hour.
Each child should come with an adult who will help during the activities. There is limited space, so please register in advance.
To sign up, contact the Garden, (208) 275-8612 or register online. Let us know the child’s name, the adult’s name, a phone number we may call if there is a problem, and which time and date you would like. If registering online, enter the child’s name as the registrant and your name in the billing information.
Admission:
Applicable Regular Garden adult admission, plus $2 per child:
- Member adult/child pair: $2
- Senior Non-member/child pair: $8
- Adult Non-member/child pair: $10
Regisration coming Spring 2020!!
The Secret Gardeners Story Time
I’ve always talked to plants. It’s a totally normal thing to do, right? At least that’s what I thought, until one day the plants started talking back to me. That was the day I got initiated into the Secret Gardeners Club. I was given a special key that opens doors to secret gardens all over the city – And some of those gardens? They’re pretty wild.
From the Idaho Botanical Garden, welcome to The Secret Gardeners Story Time. It’s the podcast for people – like you! – who are tuned in to nature.
Activity Sheets
To help our youth stay active and teach them about nature!
Map Your Habitat Activity Sheet!Roly Polies Activity Sheet
Signs of Spring Scavenger Hunt!