Families at the Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden is a great place to visit with little ones. Ask at the Ticket Office to borrow a trail or Explorer Backpack. Come and join us for one of our family-friendly events to learn about the wonders of the plant world, and get involved in crafting activities.

Trails

Garden Family Friendly Child Activity (Wallman Lo Res)

Winter Wonders trail: suitable for children aged 5 to 9

See if you can find the first blooms, buds and bulbs to sprout in the Garden this year. Pick up a copy of this trail at the Ticket Office or print it out in advance. 
Children in the Conservatory (Wallman Lo Res)

Garden Eye Spy trail: suitable for the very young

A fun trail for small children. Can you spot a sparkly fountain, and all the numbers up to ten with your grown-ups? Pick up a copy of this trail at the Ticket Office or print it out in advance.

Botanic backpacks

Our family-friendly backpacks will open up a world of exploration and investigation during your visit. There are usually two differently themed backpacks filled with hands-on equipment and suggestions for activities. Backpacks can be signed out without charge from the Ticket Office on a first come, first served basis, and can be used for the duration of your visit.

Build A Plant! (aimed at children aged 4 to 6)

Can you travel around the Garden finding all the parts you need in order to build a plant? Find roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruits on your travels.

Get Growing!  (aimed at children aged 6 to 9)

Can you find unusual examples of plants as you explore? Take a trip into a tropical rainforest and a desperately dry desert!

Access and facilities

The Botanic Garden is a beautiful and compact green space to explore with a family. Visitors are welcome to picnic on the lawns, relax under the shade of a tree or travel through the Glasshouses, going from one habitat to another.
 
Useful things to know:
  • From Easter to the end of September, a pop-up café next to the river serves hot and cold drinks, as well as cakes and snacks
  • Picnics are welcome, but please take away any waste
  • Baby-changing facilities are available in the disabled toilet
  • The Garden and Glasshouses are accessible for wheelchairs and buggies. However, at busy times you are welcome to park buggies outside the Glasshouses
  • Children’s scooters can be parked by the Ticket Office
  • The Ticket Office has a range of pocket-money gifts for children to choose from
  • Children are welcome to collect fallen leaves, petals etc from the ground, but please don’t pick anything from the plants.
 
Please be aware:
  • The river Cherwell runs along the side of the Garden, and there are several ponds both outside and in the Glasshouses
  • The Garden contains nearly 5,000 different plants; please make sure that children do not put any plants in their mouths, and please wash hands before eating
  • If visiting with children with additional needs, please look at our online access guide for more information
powered by Oxford Mosaic
List of site pages