The Garfield Park Conservatory holds a special place in my heart, as it was a date spot for #DoneWithFun Daddy and I back in our pre-kid, Oak Park apartment life. The lush greenness overwhelms me every time.
But we discovered this winter that it’s also a fantastic place to take kids in all weather, rain or shine. The 2 acres of indoor display houses and outdoor gardens are free and open to the public 365 days a year and offer the perfect opportunity to connect with nature and let your kids tire themselves out at the same time.
Where:
Garfield Park Conservatory
300 N Central Park Ave
Chicago, IL 60624
Get directions
Plan your visit: https://garfieldconservatory.org/
Make the most of your visit with these tips:
DO: Dress cool. The Garfield Park Conservatory is a greenhouse, with many tropical plants, so don’t be surprised if it gets steamy in there. This isn’t the place to keep on your winter coat if you’re exploring in winter time. But it is a perfect place to take some lovely deep breaths of the warm, clean, moist, plant-purified air. Your lungs will thank you.
DON’T: Forget your camera. Each room of the Conservatory is prettier than the next, and there are a million spots to capture memories or try your hand at nature photography. The sheer number of shades of green in one location was breathtaking. No filter needed here.
DO: Check the Events Calendar before you go. There are all sort of events going on at the Conservatory, from free outdoor yoga classes to family programming. It’s worth it to look at the calendar first no matter what side of the equation you are on: Looking specifically for something unique and entertaining to do, or seeking a quieter, less crowded day.
DON’T: Automatically bring a stroller. The houses are set up well enough to accommodate strollers for infants and the smallest children, but the Conservatory is also a great space to let your toddlers, preschoolers, and older kids stretch their legs and explore. It’s not so big that you’ll end up carry them halfway through, and it’s relatively safe and easy to stay on the paths/out of trouble. If you’re going to do the outdoor paths, you may want the stroller there to avoid whining.
DO: Spend time in the Children’s Garden. The Elizabeth Morse Genius Children’s Garden has a big tunnel slide, a climbing area specifically for toddlers, a giant “root” rock with peekaboo windows to see inside, and so much more. It’s the perfect place to start or end your visit, where the kids can explore on their owl level and burn some energy too. On weekends, the Fiddleheads programs runs in the Children’s Garden from noon until 4 PM. Conservatory staff members have special exhibits set up for children to touch and explore, and even a giant sandbox of dirt to dig in. The boys were in heaven.
DON’T: Overlook the Sensitive Plant. We were all spellbound by this plant in the Children’s Garden. It’s in a medium-sized pot with a sign nearby, an unassuming fern that you might not glance at twice. But when you touch this plant’s leaves, the leaves shrink up and pull away from you – it’s literally sensitive to touch. Easton couldn’t get enough of this one. I couldn’t help musing that as my sensitive child, maybe he was connecting with it on a deeper level.
DO: Get outside (weather permitting). We picked the Conservatory for our family field trip on a rainy weekend when the boys were stir-crazy from being inside. I figured it would be like being outside without actually being outside. Halfway through our visit, the weather cleared up and we explored the outdoor gardens. The boys loved the Play & Grow Garden, a big natural playground geared toward children (see pictures in the Photo Gallery at the end of this post!), and Easton wandered the grass labyrinth. We all found the pond serene and beautiful and even though we were tired, the boys insisted on doing a full loop of the grounds and running across the (very muddy) field. Some things about my kids never change.
DO: Use caution in the Desert Garden. This hothouse is filled with all varieties of cacti and succulents, from tiny to giant. But there are no ropes, walls, or any other barrier that separates the prickly plants from the walkways, so keep your smaller children close in this room. We hustled through pretty quickly as I envisioned having to use tweezers to extract one million spines from the boys’ arms or legs should an epic wipeout occur.
DO: Realize that even though it’s an indoor facility, there is a distinct possibility your kids will get wet or muddy. Plan accordingly. We went on a particularly rainy weekend, when we had been cooped up for days. Inside the Conservatory was surprisingly wet, with puddles in some of the houses. My boys are magnets for mud and water, so Sawyer ended up with a wet bottom almost immediately, and Easton managed to wipe out in the creek in the Fern Room. Their knees were black from crawling around on the damp recycled-tire floor of the Children’s Garden too. I don’t want to say extra clothes are automatically necessary for this visit, but know your own children and make that call.
DO: Make a donation to support this beautiful place. Run by the Chicago Park District, there is no admission fee to the Conservatory, only a suggested donation at the door. Parking is also free. We spent all day at the Conservatory for a grand total of $12 – well worth the money.
No matter what the weather, the Garfield Park Conservatory is a hidden gem waiting to be explored. We’ll definitely be returning to see what we can discover there next. Share your favorite Conservatory finds with #NeverDoneWithFun.
Play and Grow Outdoor Children’s Garden
