Go behind the scenes with stories about our amazing plants and people, read with us, or explore our free online offerings for all ages. Find activities especially designed for kids here. Subscribe to our blog for exciting new content delivered to your inbox each week.
Food for the Birds
Just like people, different birds have different food preferences. In this fun activity, kids conduct an experiment to find out what kinds of seeds different species of birds prefer.
Design a Bird’s Nest
Not all birds are nest builders. Some birds nest in holes in trees or on the ground. Nests are not only be found in trees, but also in shrubs, on the ground, in barns, or other places. Nests can be made out of various materials and come in all shapes and sizes. In this fun activity for kids, gather some materials to help birds build their nests, then try your hand at building one.
A Passion for Nature
Meet author and wildlife ecologist J. Drew Lanham and learn more about his passion for birding in our 2021Community Read. In his book, The Home Place: Memoirs of a Colored Man’s Love Affair with Nature, Lanham shares his journey as a wildlife ecologist.
Fun with Fungi, Moss, and More
As the days grow longer and the snow recedes, moss, fungi, and subdued shades of green begin to emerge. Join floral designer Jennifer Reed as she shows you how to use under-utilized mosses and woodland accents to create small arrangements for your home.
The Bird-of-Paradise
One of the plants highlighted in our winter 2021 exhibit, Voices in the Landscape: Deeply Rooted with Storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston, is the striking bird-of-paradise. Typically orange, this cultivar has bold, yellow sepals and blue petals reminiscent of a tropical bird. It was renamed Strelitzia reginae ‘Mandela’s Gold’ in 1996 in honor of South African Statesman Nelson Mandela. Piece together this amazing plant.
Holiday Plant Tour
Since guests could not experience our Conservatory in person for part of our holiday display in 2020, we asked Conservatory Manager Karl Gercens to share a few of his favorite plants gracing our holiday display. Some of his picks make great house plants, too! Do you have any of them in your home?
Holiday Puzzle
One of the many highlights of A Longwood Christmas is our Music Room display. In 2020, we decked it out to be reminiscent of a Christmas morning, complete with packages and stockings full of wonderful surprises. Recreate the beauty in this fun puzzle.
Floral Design Tip: Get Wired
Join our floral design educator Jane Godshalk as she demonstrates how to make a “chicken wire pillow.”
Connect with Conifers
While deciduous trees drop their leaves, coniferous trees or evergreens have needles that remain on the branches year-round! Discover some fun facts about conifers, practice recognizing conifers in your own neighborhood, and then get creative with some natural materials in this fun activity for kids.
Fun with Topiaries
Learn all about topiary--the art of clipping shrubs or trees into shapes. First, discover shrubs growing in your backyard and try your hand at creating a topiary of your own.
Pressed Flower Cards
Discover the important relationship between flowers and pollinators, then bring the beauty of nature indoors by pressing and drying plant material to make personalized greeting cards.
Kids Coloring Postcards
Share your love of Longwood with these printable coloring postcards created by our very own former Longwood Fellow Becky Paxton!
Giants Among Us
Meet Pierre’s Poplar—one of the tallest trees at Longwood Gardens. In this short video, get a bird’s eye view as Longwood’s Arborists attempt to measure this champion tree.
A Fine Vine
Clematis are among the most decorative and spectacular of all the flowering vines. They come in a variety of colors, forms, and foliage. Join Jeff Jabco, as he showcases the top five Clematis in our 2020 International Trial.
Go Wild for Columbine
Learn about Aquilegia canadensis, also known as wild columbine, in this informative photo story.
Perennial Pals
Kids can discover how to recognize common perennials and learn about the different parts of a flower.
Flowering Annuals
In this activity, kids will discover how to recognize some common annuals and learn about the life cycle of flowering plants. Then they can get planting and experiment with growing bean seeds.
Mushroom Soup Madness
We are well-known for our award-winning Kennett Square Mushroom Soup. Try your hand at making it at home with this recipe from our chefs at 1906.
Create Your Own Miniature Garden
Inspire your imagination and find joy in creating an enchanting miniature garden.
Virtual Plant Walk
Have rocky soil or moist conditions? Looking for a plant deer won’t eat? Join horticulturist Karl Gercens as he introduces you to some plants that may just fit the bill.
Everything About Aquatics
Delve into the amazing world of aquatics in our free online course. Designed for beginners and experts, learn how to select, care for, and create your own aquatic display in this engaging multimedia course.
Kitchen Farming
Start growing your own vegetables right in your kitchen using common produce found in your home.
An Entertaining Tradition
Pierre S. and Alice du Pont loved to entertain in the Gardens. Join in the tradition and try your hand at a recipe from the du Pont family cookbook.
Our Carnivorous Collection
With their visual appeal and botanical interest, it is little wonder that carnivorous plants have long had a place on display in our Gardens.
Get Outside
Get the family back to nature with these fun activities designed to connect you to the wonder and beauty of the natural world.
Create a Bonsai
Our own bonsai expert Kevin Bielicki demonstrates how to create a bonsai from nursery stock.
Indoor Family #PlantHunt
Plants are not just outdoors—they are everywhere! Go on this fun hunt to find objects made from plants all around your house.
Mystery Plant Activity
Sharing our Legacy of Entertaining
Pierre S. and Alice du Pont loved to entertain in the Gardens. Since we entertain you in our Gardens, why not head into your own kitchen and recreate a recipe from the du Pont family cookbook.
Hands-on Activities
Learn how to press flowers and discover fun in your own backyard.
Read a Good Plant Book
Join our 2020 Community Read and dive into the wacky, weird, and wild world of plants with one of these books: Semiosis by Sue Burke, Weird Plants by Chris Thorogood, and The Enormous Potato by Aubrey Davis. Ebooks are available for borrowing via most public libraries.
Enjoy video and image highlights of the colorful emergence of spring.
From favorite past performances to a chat with a gardener, delve into these uniquely Longwood experiences.
