Children & Youth Programs at HCP
Welcome to the Children & Youth Programs at HCP!
Our aim is to create and provide land-based learning opportunities for children and youth in our community. Through these outdoor educational programs, we believe that we can promote individual, community and environmental health. During all of our programs, we will use the gardens and surrounding forests as our classroom and as an educational tool to cultivate joy, wonder and meaningful connections to plants and the natural world.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are navigating the safe delivery of these educational programs within the guidelines of current Provincial Health Orders. All of our programs are subject to changes mandated by the public health authorities, and in the case that a session is cancelled, a full refund or credit will be provided. As we continue to navigate, in-person sessions may also be then offered online. We look forward to seeing you in our gardens again soon!
AT A GLANCE…
- Family Day Bird Event – Admission to the gardens by donation
- Garden Nature Academy (Pre-kinder program)
- Garden Friends (Series designed for a child and parent)
- Find programs for home learners on the “Nature Education Program” page!
- Kit + Video Workshops
- Garden Workshops
- Garden Camps (Pro-D Day, Spring Break, and Summer)
- Private Workshops for Birthdays
- and More!
For more information about any of these programs, please contact our program coordinator at [email protected]
FAMILY DAY EVENT
Join us and the Rocky Point Bird Observatory for guided walks, activities and crafts as we explore the many birds that call our gardens, forests, and wetlands their home. Learn to identify birds in your backyard and how to support their habitat necessary for them to thrive. Don’t forget to bring your binoculars! To find out more about the Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 18-21) check out birdcount.org
Date: Monday, February 21, 2022
Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Fee: Admission by donation to The Gardens at HCP
GARDEN NATURE ACADEMY
Garden Nature Academy – Spring Session (Registration is NOW OPEN!)
The outdoors offer safe and seasonal opportunities for your preschooler to explore through play, games, songs and activities! These outdoor sessions will include time in our vegetable garden, as well as numerous pathways and native plant forest areas to explore. The small group sizes and our experienced nature educators help to create a nurturing and engaging environment for young children to learn, play and grow!
Dates: Tuesday’s for 12 weeks: from April 5th to June 21, 2022
Time: 9:00am to 11:30am
Age: 3 to 5 years
Fee: $275/members, $320/non-members (price is for full series)
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
GARDEN FRIENDS (a series designed for a child and parent) Winter
Children love to explore our gardens while observing and experiencing nature. Together, we will engage in a series of nature activities. Each session includes a garden wander, sharing circle and story time. Bring a snack and picnic blanket for story time and dress for the weather.
Dates: Every Thursday from February 17 – March 10, 2022
Time: 10:00 to 11:30am
Age: 3 to 6 years old, plus parent/guardian
Fee: $75 members rate, $85 non-members (price is for full series)
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
Garden Workshops for 2022 (In person)
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
Our workshops explore a variety of land-based topics, from organic crafts to concrete gardening skills.
Outdoor Fairy Gardens (adult + child)
Inviting all garden enthusiasts!! It might still be a bit early to get out into our gardens this month, but we really want to!! Here is a fun way to get creative, using seasonally appropriate plants that will stand up to the elements and give a head start to doing some early planting! This workshop is geared to an adult and child looking for an outdoor class together. Combine your efforts or each make your own miniature garden to take home. We will begin with a garden tour to inspire us, then collect natural materials to begin our Fairy Garden making together. Please dress for the weather. Class size is limited to 12 participants.
Date: Saturday, February 26, 2022
Time: 10:00am – 11:30am
Age: 4 – 10 years
Fee: $30/1 garden, $55/2 gardens
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
Outdoor Fairy Gardens
Do you know a youth who loves to garden? Have them join us for this early season gardening class to learn about garden design, plant care and to be inspired to add a magic factor to the home garden or balcony. We will begin with an inspirational garden wander to gather ideas and materials. Then we will create our miniature gardens to add to an existing fairy village or begin anew! Please have your child dress for the weather. Class size is limited to 10 participants.
Date: Saturday, February 26, 2022
Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm
Age: 7+ years
Fee: $25/members, $30/non-members
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
Container Garden Series for Youth
Container gardens have become very popular and they are so versatile. They are perfect for growing flowers to support our native pollinators as well as growing food crops for ourselves. No matter the space available (or lack of it), youth can develop their gardening skills and learn about food security while creating a miniature garden to take home, nurture and harvest! Each class will feature a different themed garden to create and take home.
Date: Saturday’s, March 12 (Salad), April 9 (Herb, May 14 (Pizza), June 11 (Pollinator), 2022
Time: 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Age: 5- 12 years
Fee: $125/members for a 4 class session, $140 non/members for a 4 class session
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
HCP Kids Garden Club
Do you know a child or youth who loves the outdoors and thrives in the garden? Our HCP Kids Garden provides many opportunities for land-based engagement activities, including seed starting and propagation, planting, garden maintenance, pollinator habitats, and so much more. Each monthly class will have us in this amazing teaching garden where we grow our own food crops.
Pre-K Learners (Adult + Child)
Date: Saturday’s, March 5 – July 2, 2022
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
Age: 3 – 5 years
Fee: $60/5 class session
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
School Age Learners
Date: Saturday’s, March 5 – July 2, 2022
Time: 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Age: 6 – 12 years
Fee: $80/5 class session
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
Child & Youth Nature Workshops
The following workshops are available until December 20th, 2021. After registering, participants will receive an email including an instructional sheet, a link to an instructional video, as well as time and date options to pick-up your take-home workshop kit! Workshops will be available for participants to watch and do at their leisure.
TERRARIUM GARDENS FOR KIDS
Gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Get creative as you learn about the needs of little plants, and what better place to grow them than in an upcycled glass container? Choose a glass bowl, vase, jar or other container (up to 20cm) to upcycle and see what you can create! You provide the glass container and we provide the rest, including a tropical plant, gravel, soil, and decor..
Age: 6+ years, recommended
Fee: $25
Register HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
OUTDOOR FAIRY GARDENS
These outdoor fairy gardens are suited for your deck, balcony or garden. The video will take participants through the steps to use an ornamental flowering plant as the base for this project. Then you will learn how to care for it in a small container. Next we get started designing and decorating the garden with provided natural and created elements as well as additional raw materials to create other fun decor. These miniature gardens provide a fun reason to move your child’s play outdoors this season and makes a great destination to check on during the summer and fall too!
Age: 5+ years, recommended
Fee: $25
Register: HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
FAIRY FURNISHINGS
Making your own fairy garden furnishings can be fun and easy with a little expertise and guidance. In this kit and video package, we will take a walk together to forage natural materials that can be made into fun and functional furnishings for existing and future fairy gardens. We will explore doors, gates, transitions and theme related furnishings. Participants will receive a kit with instructions and supplies to make featured items and will be encouraged to source out their own special materials going forward. Imagination is a wonderful tool as we learn to create items for these playful and whimsical gardens!
Age: 5+ years, recommended
Fee: $25
Register HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
TEACUP FAIRY GARDENS
Gardens come in all shapes and sizes. Get creative as you learn about the needs of little plants, and what better place to grow them than in an upcycled glass container? Choose a glass bowl, vase, jar or other container (up to 20cm) to upcycle and see what you can create! You provide the glass container and we provide the rest.
Age: 6+ years, recommended
Fee: $25
Register HERE or phone (250) 479-6162
SEED STARTING FOR KIDS
A single seed is all it takes to grow a plant. Introduce or support a child/youth to grow their own vegetables and pollinator plants with help from this grow kit featuring all they need to get started. This is a fun way to follow the life cycle of a plant from a seed through to seed production and have fresh produce to use with the family!
Age: 5+ years, recommended
Fee: $25
Register: HERE or Phone (250) 479-6162
Garden Camps (Fall, Winter 2021 and Spring 2022)
Join us at the gardens for our JMG (Junior Master Gardener) Pro-D Day and camps! During these camps, we will busy ourselves with seasonal gardening activities in our very own HCP Kids Garden! There will also be exploration of the many natural systems that keep our gardens growing, garden arts and crafts and more!
Pro D Day Camps
An outdoor garden experience where we take on seasonal gardening tasks and activities in our very own HCP Kids Garden. There are also opportunities to explore the vast wilderness areas to experience the natural systems that keep our gardens growing, get our hands busy with garden arts and crafts and more. Limit: 15
Dates:
Feb 18, 2022
Apr 25, 2022
May 20, 2022
Times: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Ages: 5 to 12 years (school age)
Fee: $40/child
Register: Click on camp date to register or call 250 479 6162
Camps
Spring Break Camp Dates:
Mar 21-Mar 25, 2022 (full day, 5 days/week)
Mar 28-Apr 01, 2022 (full day, 5 days/week)
Times: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Ages: 5 to 12 years (school age)
Fee: $180/child, $345/2 children, $495/3 children
Please click the week above to register.
Summer Camps Dates:
Jul 4-8, 2022 (full day, 5 days/week)
Jul 11-15, 2022 (half day, 5 days/week)
Jul 18-22, 2022 (full day, 5 days/week)
Aug 2-5, 2022 (full day, 4 days/week)
Aug 8-12, 2022 (half day, 5 days/week)
Aug 15-19, 2022 (full day, 5 days/week)
Times: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (full days) and 9:00 am to 12:00 pm (half days)
Ages: 5 to 12 years (school age)
Fee:
Five-day Camps: $180/child, $345/2 children, $495/3 children
Four-day Camps: $145/child, $275/2 children, $390/3 children
Half-day Camps: $95/child, $180/2 children, $255/3 children
Please click the week above to register.
Birthdays in The Garden
NOW OFFERING – Private Workshops For Birthdays
HCP offers private workshop bookings to celebrate your child’s birthday in our gardens. These are hosted exclusively outdoors (rain or shine, year round) and feature the popular themes offered each season in our In-Person Workshop listings. See our website for our current offerings or contact our Youth Programs Coordinator for more information [email protected]
Fee: $25/child (up to 10 participants)
Time: 10:00 am to 11:30 am or 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm)
Dates: Select Saturday’s
School Virtual classes, Tours, Programs and Workshops
If you are looking for a plant-centred learning opportunity for your class or home school network, consider our school programs (Virtual Classroom, School Tours, Programs and Workshops). Check out our Nature Education page HERE for more information!
