Family Activities
Family Activities
There are a lot of fun things to do at Morris Arboretum for adults, kids and families. Check out some of our Family Fun Activities that are geared towards kids during your visit and engage the whole family. Download and print the activity PDFs and bring them with you the next time you come to visit Morris Arboretum, or open and view on your mobile device.
Tree Adventure & Treetop Canopy Walk
Generously supported by the Jane and Leonard Korman Family Foundation.
Get a bird’s eye view of the forest from 50 feet up, perched on a canopy walk high above ground level. Or scamper down onto the Squirrel Scramble, a huge hammock-like net where you can look down to the ground far below through the rope netting. Enter a Bird’s Nest and sit on a giant robin’s eggs, just waiting to hatch. It’s all part of Morris Arboretum’s Tree Adventure exhibit, connecting us to the natural world, and themed to teach us that we need trees and trees need us.
Designed by Metcalfe Architecture & Design, the exhibit is a fully accessible, fascinating learning experience for both children and adults. Learn more about the green elements of the design here.
Host your next party at Out on a Limb →
Your Guide to Tree Adventure
Explore our Treetop Canopy Walk with interactive elements like a listening station which enables visitors to “hear” the sounds of nature from the tree canopy fun interpretative panels to help you explore more about nature and binoculars to help your peer into the treetops.
Make a Magical Creature for our Fairy Woods
Morris Arboretum is a place to learn about plants, but it’s also a place to let your imagination run wild. Come to the Arboretum with a big pocket or a tote bag and see what you find scattered around the grounds. An abundance of pine cones, acorns, bark, and lichen that can be turned into a fun art project for kids and adults. Can you make a magical creature, like a dragon or a fairy, to go in the Fairy Garden? All you need is curiosity, imagination, a good set of eyes, some glue, and a little paint. One rule: materials must come from the ground only. Please don’t pick from the living plants.
Family Activity Cards & Tours
Family Fun Cards: Be a Tree Explorer & Scientist
Learn how to become a Tree Scientist by making your own field book!
Download the PDF activity card →
Kids Sculpture Tour (self-guided)
Activities and ideas to engage young visitors to think and interact creatively with the sculptures at Morris Arboretum.
Download the PDF activity card →
Kids Wetlands Tour (self-guided)
Learn about what wetlands are and why they are important. This guide will teach you the history of the wetlands at Morris Arboretum and help you search for native plants. Identify wetland vegetation and local and migratory animals as you explore the area.
Download the PDF activity card →
Events for Kids & Families
Special events are scheduled all the time, check the calendar to see what we have upcoming.
Growing Minds Family Programs
Growing Minds classes inspire a sense of wonder about the natural world. They offer children and their caregivers the opportunity to connect meaningfully with nature, through a wide variety of creative and educational programs. Take a look and sign up for these programs that are certain to be enriching, fun, and memorable!