September/October 2021 School Holidays in the Garden

What can you do with your children in the spring school holidays? Bring your little explorer to Adelaide Botanic Garden for an action-packed, wholesome day out!

The awesome activities are a wonderful way for you and your children to connect with nature, learn about the world around us and have fun.

While you're here, explore the lush surroundings, bring a picnic or enjoy lunch, ice cream or coffee from the Cafe or Kiosk.

Parents/carers are encouraged to book early – spots will sell out!

Monday 27 September: 10.00am, 11.30am & 1.30pm

Come and get creative in Adelaide Botanic Garden!

Paint patterns, pictures and inspirational messages on rocks, and contribute to the SARocks and #KindnessRocks movement.

Using acrylic paint pens, paints, sealant and glue, your creative kids will decorate rocks with guidance from the fantastic team from SAYarts.

Following that, children can also create their very own wall-hanging or mobile, crafted out of botanic materials collected from the garden, wool and beads for a beautiful decoration for the home or garden.

While you're here, leave a rock for others to discover and take some home.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Held on the Simpson Shadehouse Lawn, beside the Santos Museum of Economic Botany - unless weather requires it to be moved indoors).

60 min l $20.00 l 6-12 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.

Tuesday 28 September: 10.00am & 11.30am

Friday 1 October: 11.30am & 1.30pm

Friday 8 October: 10.00am & 11.30am

What does the firesome bark of the Dragon Tree feel like? How can you harness the scent of cardamom to take you back 2000 years to Cleopatra's time?

Experience some of the sensory wonders of Adelaide Botanic Garden on a mindful journey this spring.

Children and guardians will feel how soft leaves can be, see beautiful blooms, listen to the sounds of nature and smell crush-and-release botanicals that will delight the senses.

Led by an expert botanical educator, you will revel in the sensory stars of the garden in a leisurely meander through the garden (roughly a 1km walk).

Bring along one or two young ones, and share a journey into new sights, smells, touches and sounds.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Meet at the Friends' Gate, off Plane Tree Drive).

60 min l $20.00 l 3-6 years

Ticket required for adult only, with a maximum of two children (ages 3-6) per adult.

Tuesday 28 September: 10.00am

Tuesday 5 October: 10.00am

Meet a range of wildlife, including snakes, lizards, insects, frogs, possums and a bettong.

Learn about the biology and habitat of some of our native animals, how to hold and care for them, and what you can do to help make sure their environment is safe from harm.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Held in the Goodman Building off Hackney Road - enter via northern side door).

60 mins | $15 | All ages

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.

Wednesday 29 September: 10.30am

Embark on a journey to explore the hidden gems of Adelaide Botanic Garden kids will love to snap!

Supported by Adventure Art Photography and a Botanic Gardens educator, participants will be given a guided photography tour of the garden at its springtime best.

They will be taught the photography skills of using natural light and creative compositions, capturing natural beauty for keeps.

Participants must bring their own charged device with a photography app.

Appropriate for children – beginners to experienced. Participants and guardians will be asked to walk up to around 1.5km.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Meet in the Goodman Building off Hackney Road - enter via northern side door).

90 min l $29.00 l 8-12 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.

Wednesday 29 September: 1.00pm

Interested in nature photography and improving on your technical photography skills?

Come on a journey with Adventure Art Photography and a Botanic Gardens educator to explore the hidden gems of Adelaide Botanic Garden.

Participants will be given a guided photography tour of the garden in beautiful springtime, focusing on the photography skills of using natural light, composition, nature, and the use of creative settings.

Inspiration abounds in this drop-and-go session. Guardians are encouraged to take their own restorative walk through the garden and enjoy the beautiful surrounds too!

Participants must bring their own DSLR or mirrorless camera.

Appropriate for beginners to advanced.

Participants will walk around 1.5km.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Meet in the Goodman Building off Hackney Road - enter via northern side door).

120 min l $49.00 l 13-17 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardians do not need to attend.

Wednesday 29 September: 10.00am, 11.30am & 1.30pm

Using natural materials like ochre, children will make beautiful paintings in this creative, hands-on art workshop.

Participants will learn the traditional Kaurna symbols and discover their cultural significance from expert Kaurna Elders and members.

Set in the leafy surrounds of the garden, it is a wonderful chance for children to connect with nature and First Nations culture.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Held on the Simpson Shadehouse Lawn, beside the Santos Museum of Economic Botany - unless weather requires it to be moved indoors).

60 min l $20.00 l 5-8 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.

Wednesday 29 September: 10.00am, 11.30am & 1.30pm

Join Kaurna Elders and members in this traditional weaving workshop.

Participants will learn the techniques, using materials such as dried grasses.

Led by experts from Southern Cultural Immersion / Living Kaurna Cultural Centre, children will create pieces to take home.

Set in the leafy surrounds of the garden, it is a wonderful chance for children to connect with nature and First Nations culture.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Held on the Simpson Shadehouse Lawn, beside the Santos Museum of Economic Botany - unless weather requires it to be moved indoors).

60 min l $20.00 l 8-15 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.

Thursday 30 September: 10.00am

Bring your teens to learn how to build fantasy worlds for role-playing games in the inspirational setting of Adelaide Botanic Garden.

Guided by Dungeon Masters experts from SAYarts, we will work together with maps to explore secret garden spaces, discover where creatures are hidden, and invent a whole new world inside the Garden.

Teens will then build characters, run a game as a ‘Dungeon Master’, and invent a dice RPG with like-minded gamers, based on the map and lay-out of the Garden.

Suits beginners and intermediate players of tabletop roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) 5th Edition.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Held in the Goodman Building off Hackney Road - enter via northern side door. A walk around the garden will also take place).

180 min l $35.00 l 13-17 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardians do not need to attend.

Thursday 30 September: 10.30am & 12.30pm

Embark on a fascinating treasure hunt with our Botanical Educator to learn about different trees from all over the world.

Children and parents can work together on the tour, following a map around the garden and unravelling clues to solve the Plant Hunter’s secret message.

Mount Lofty Botanic Garden (Meet at the Chris Steele Scott Pavilion near lower carpark off Lampert Road, Piccadilly - L16 on map)

75 min l $15.00 l 6-13 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden

Friday 1 October: 10.30am

Children will get their hands dirty in our Kitchen Garden, with help from our friendly Botanical Educators.

Kids will have the opportunity to plant and/or harvest vegetables, hold worms and learn how growing your own food at home is good for our health.

Children will learn some skills, find out where our food comes from, and be immersed in nature in the charming kitchen garden in beautiful springtime.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Held in the Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden behind the Goodman Building, off Hackney Road).

60 min l $15.00 l 6-12 years

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.

Tuesday 5 October: 12.00pm

Wednesday 6 October: 2.00pm

Join Indigenous storyteller, educator and guide, Trent, on a walk through the lush Australian Forest, exploring the traditional uses of trees and plants by Aboriginal people.

Discover how seasonal group movements across the land were influenced by the natural surroundings.

While you're here, enjoy the calming effect of being amongst trees, listen to the birdsong and fill your lungs with fresh air.

Adelaide Botanic Garden (Meet at the Friends' Gate, off Plane Tree Drive).

60 min l $15.00 l All ages

Ticket required for child only. Guardian must be in attendance for the duration.

Back by popular demand! Purchase your self-guided kit online, collect it from the garden, then embark on a treasure hunt at your own pace.

Children and parents work together to follow a map around Adelaide Botanic Garden, and learn about different trees and plants from all over the world.

Along the way, you will unravel clues to solve answers to the Plant Hunter’s question.

Adelaide Botanic Garden | 60-90 min | $10.00 per kit | 5-13 years

Please Note: Limited kits are available and they are only suitable for this School Holiday period - it is changed each season.

Once purchased, please collect your kits from the Goodman Building within Adelaide Botanic Garden, close to Hackney Road, between 22 September - 8 October from Monday - Friday between 9:00am - 4:30pm (not the public holiday Monday).

Bookings are essential for all activities. Small booking fee applies when booking on Eventbrite. Please arrive 10 minutes early to check in.

Please note: Numbers per group are strictly limited. All children must be accompanied by one Parent/Caregiver at all times except for the two Teen activities.

Tickets required for children and parents join free, except for the guided Sensory Trail which requires a ticket only for the Parent/Caregiver.

We look forward to welcoming families to our September / October 2021 School Holiday Program.

The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, volunteers and staff remains our highest priority. As a result, we are implementing a number of measures so we are able to offer a safe, welcoming and fun experience for all that attend and ensure we meet COVID-19 regulations. These include:

• Total group numbers will be capped for each activity including registered children and attending caregivers.
• Only one caregiver is able to attend per booking. Unfortunately, other siblings or caregivers will not be able to attend.
• The attending caregiver must remain with the registered child/children for the entire activity (except for the teenager activities).
• Physical distancing of 1.5 metres between people. Anyone 12 years and above will be required to wear a mask at indoor activities and all adults to COVID check in.
• Practicing good hygiene before, during and after sessions.
• Do not attend if anyone in your group is feeling unwell.

Please note, that in the event that one of our Botanic Garden’s staff member is feeling unwell on the day of your visit, the staff member will be required to stay home. This is to ensure that no children or adults are placed at risk. If this occurs, we will work with you to provide an alternative to your booked session.

If you have any questions please call us on 8222 9311.

Head to the Adelaide Botanic Garden Visitor Information page and Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens visitor Information page to find Garden maps, parking info and more.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Adelaide Botanic Garden, Various places within the Garden, Adelaide, Australia