Children's Woodland Grand Opening

Description

California Botanic Garden welcomes community members to the grand opening of the Children’s Woodland on Friday and Saturday, April 10 & 11, 2026 between 10 AM and 3 PM. The Children’s Woodland is a newly-created space within the Garden designed to foster imaginative outdoor play and lifelong connections to native habitats, located in the shady understory of a grove of native oaks. Grand Opening activities will include: free play within the Woodland, craft activities, nature-themed storytimes, all-ages guided walks, CalBG’s Joy in the Garden Youth Art Exhibit, and more. All activities are free with Garden admission.  

The Children’s Woodland at California Botanic Garden was inspired by a desire to give kids a space of their own to learn and grow in the midst of the amazing biodiversity of a native oak woodland. CalBG’s Director of Horticulture, Ashlee Armstrong, notes that “the oak is a keystone in many ecosystems and exposure to the natural world is a keystone in children's development. The Children's Woodland was designed to provide a fun and intimate space to interact with and observe nature, and we hope that it contributes to a lasting curiosity about and respect for our environment for visitors of all ages.”

While the Children’s Woodland is not a playground in the traditional sense, the space contains interactive installations including stumps and logs for balance and climbing, natural materials for creative building, rock fountains for climbing and water play, hammocks for relaxing, and more. The Children’s Woodland is a flexible and dynamic space, so plantings, installations, and programming will change and evolve with time and the seasons, all dedicated to helping children and their adults find and foster connections in nature. For more information about the Children’s Woodland, visit: https://www.calbg.org/exhibitions/the-childrens-woodland.  

California Botanic Garden is also celebrating the Children’s Woodland opening with an outdoor art exhibit titled “Joy in the Garden: A Celebration of Play, Adventure, and Native Plants.” This dynamic exhibit features over 100 original artworks by local artists between the ages of 2 and 18, inspired by California Botanic Garden and our state’s unique biodiversity. The exhibit will run between April 10th and June 30th, 2026 and is open during regular Garden hours. The exhibit is included with Garden admission.