Brookside Gardens – Youth Education

Youth Programs

*Brookside Gardens offers a variety of programs for youth of all ages. Sign up for activities, classes, and events online by clicking: ActiveMontgomery.

Fall Registration is Open:

• Pop-Up Exploration Cart – iNaturalist
• Yoga Sprouts!
• Homeschool Garden Scientists: Entomologists
• Outdoor Guided Walk for Families: Birds
• Storytime in the Garden
• and more!

*All of Brookside Gardens’ Fall and Winter programs are listed in Cultivate Magazine, available online here: Cultivate Magazine 2026

School Field Trips

To request a Field Trip for the 2026-2027 School Year, please complete the Brookside Gardens Field Trip Request Form 2026-2027 – Fill out form

Field trip programs are offered Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings by reservation only. Most 90 minute field trip programs run from 10:30 am -12 pm. Field Trips DO NOT include tickets to the Butterfly Experience.

Read more about the Field Trip Program options below and check out the Plan Your Visit Website for more information. 

1. Plants & Pollinators: Grades PreK – K

• Learn about plants with a guided outdoor exploration and pot a plant to take home. Designed for young learners in Pre K (ages 4+) and K. (60 minutes, outdoors)

2. Plants & Pollinators: Grade 1 and Up

• Learn about the structure and function of plant anatomy and the pollinators they depend upon with a guided outdoor exploration and pot a plant to take home. *Select this option for any Plant and Pollinator Program for grades 1-12. (90 minutes, outdoors)

3. Erosion & Water on the Landscape: Grade 4 and Up

• Use a map and make observations about erosion, native plants, and the water cycle. Make and take home native seed balls. (90 minutes, outdoors)

4. Water Quality in the Watershed: Grade 5 and Up

• Use chemistry to test the health of our namesake “brook” and learn about the Chesapeake Bay. (90 minutes, outdoors)

5. Service Learning: Grades 9 – 12

• Bring your students to work on a service-learning project pulling invasive plants. Along the naturalized borders of our property, learn to identify some common invasives and get hands-on experience managing their spread. (90 minutes, strenuous, outdoors)

 6. Horticulture: Grades 9 – 12

• Bring your horticulture students to learn about sustainable gardening, native plants, and career pathways that involve plants. Make and take home native seed balls. (90 minutes, outdoors)

Questions? Check out the Plan Your Visit Website for more details and answers to frequently asked questions.

All field trip programs are completely outdoors and all participants should come prepared for the weather on their scheduled field trip day. All field trip programs are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). For questions or more information, please email Liz.Bullock@MontgomeryParks.org

Submitting a field trip request is not a guarantee, and you will receive more information through email after submitting a request. Field trips must be scheduled and confirmed with the Youth Education Team at Brookside Gardens at least 10 business days in advance. Service-Learning field trips must be scheduled and confirmed 20 business days in advance.

Field Trip Programs DO NOT include tickets to the indoor Butterfly Experience.

Field Trips, Professional Development, and Outreach Programs at Brookside Gardens count towards MAEOE Green School Certification.

To request a Field Trip for the 2026-2027 School Year, please complete the Brookside Gardens Field Trip Request Form 2026-2027 – Fill out form

Read through this online guide to help you Plan Your Visit to Brookside Gardens: https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/learn/brookside-gardens-childrens-programs-and-camps/brookside-gardens-plan-your-visit-field-trip/

Read through a social narrative on this webpage so that you, your students, and your chaperones know what to expect: https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/learn/brookside-gardens-childrens-programs-and-camps/brookside-gardens-field-trip-social-narrative/

Social narratives aid children by helping them learn how to respond appropriately to daily activities or events.

Experience a special garden space made with our youngest visitors in mind. Children can play and explore nature alongside their adults. No registration or guided program required – just visit any time Brookside Gardens is open.

If you want to search only in the Children’s Garden, you might want to ask your favorite explorer to look for:

• Native plants, bushes, and trees,
• Paths, tunnels, fences, and trails,
• Planters crafted for the birds, but a nest crafted for people,
• A mural you can play inside,
• a garden-friendly motorcycle,
• and an upcycled percussion section.

We hope to see you in the Children’s Garden soon!

*You can access maps of the Gardens, including the Children’s Garden, as well as other important visitor information online here: Virtual Tour and Map