play, learn & explore

Lena Meijer Children's Garden

The Lena Meijer Children’s Garden invites children to play, learn and explore. This garden fosters experiential learning and the use of all five senses. Interaction is encouraged as children are welcome to use their senses by smelling and touching specific plants designed for interacting. Whether in the Kids-Sense Garden discovering leaves that feel like lambs’ ears, launching a boat in the Great Lakes, digging for buried fossils in the Rock Quarry or listening to a story, the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden offers plenty of opportunities for family fun!

Children's Garden

Highlights

Great Lakes Garden

The Great Lakes Garden inside the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden is an interactive mini-replica of the Great Lakes. Children can launch a boat, build a bridge and walk on all the Great Lakes states.

Treehouse Village

Treehouse Village in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden is fun for all ages! Climb into the four connected trees and one giant bird’s nest. Kids can sit in the enormous nest, play the “Who Lives Here” game or look for giant insects.

Storytelling Garden

The Storytelling Garden inside the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden has spots to put on a puppet or theater show, complete with performance hut and amphitheater seats. Children can enjoy story time from June to August.

Mouse Hole Entrance

Enter through a child-sized mouse hole to begin your Lena Meijer Children’s Garden adventure!

Kid-Sense Garden

Use all five senses in the Kid-Sense Garden, in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden. Find a leaf that feels like a lamb’s ear, discover a flower that looks like an eyeball or sniff a plant that smells like buttered popcorn.

Wooded Wetlands

The Wooded Wetlands in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden allows children to enter the kid-sized beaver lodge and use their imagination to pretend to be beavers.

Rock Quarry

Dig for buried fossils with your hands or shovels in the Rock Quarry in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden.

Log Cabin

Become a pioneer by playing with old-fashioned toys in the Log Cabin, located in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden.

Butterfly Maze

Solve the Butterfly Maze inside the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden. Navigate the right path and ring the bell to sound a victory!

Friendly Dragon

Friendly Dragon is a whimsical work. Marshall Fredericks designed Friendly Dragon for children, giving him a smile and a relaxed posture so as not to frighten young visitors. Meijer Gardens is home to two casts of the gentle giant, at Fred Meijer’s request.

Friendly Dragon represents a wild, mythical animal who has become friendly—almost like a pet! The sleepy smile and relaxed posture suggests a friendliness intended to draw children in, rather than frighten them away.

Marshall Fredericks. Friendly Dragon, 1992. Bronze, 58.5 x 132 x 57.5 inches. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Marshall Fredericks.

Family of Wolves

Family of Wolves, by Leonard Streckfus, has been delighting youth and adults alike for many years. It is a much-loved feature in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, specifically sited along the Sculpture Walk area. This colorful sculpture is made of found objects that can be identified as pieces of each wolf. Their placement delights young audiences and helps them understand the importance of sculptures that use found objects and make use of fabrication techniques.

Leonard StreckfusFamily of Wolves, 2004. Steel and other materials, 40 x 157 x 74 inches. Gift of Fred and Lena Meijer. © Leonard Streckfus.

Fun For all Ages

So Much Fun

Events At The Children's Garden

Wintertime Walks | Family and Friends

Bundle up for a wintery outdoor adventure walk and a storybook reading in the Log Cabin. Walk titles are… “Garden Carol” “Animals & Trees” “Donkeys, Dragons & Drums” “Mitten Motifs” Ages: Family and Friends Fee Information: Included with admission Location: Lena Meijer Children’s …

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01 Dec
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Lena Meijer Children's Garden

Wintertime Walks | Family and Friends

Bundle up for a wintery outdoor adventure walk and a storybook reading in the Log Cabin. Walk titles are… “Garden Carol” “Animals & Trees” “Donkeys, Dragons & Drums” “Mitten Motifs” Ages: Family and Friends Fee Information: Included with admission Location: Lena Meijer Children’s …

Childrens Garden Read More »

...
02 Dec
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Lena Meijer Children's Garden

Wintertime Walks | Preschoolers

Bundle up for a wintery outdoor adventure walk and a storybook reading in the Log Cabin. Walk titles are: “Garden Carol” “Trees in Winter” “Winter Wonderland” “Bird Senses” “Animals in Winter” Ages: Preschoolers Fee Information: Included with admission Location: Lena Meijer Children’s Garden ...
05 Dec
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Lena Meijer Children's Garden

Wintertime Walks | Preschoolers

Bundle up for a wintery outdoor adventure walk and a storybook reading in the Log Cabin. Walk titles are: “Garden Carol” “Trees in Winter” “Winter Wonderland” “Bird Senses” “Animals in Winter” Ages: Preschoolers Fee Information: Included with admission Location: Lena Meijer Children’s Garden ...
06 Dec
10:30 am - 11:30 am
Lena Meijer Children's Garden

Wintertime Walks | Family and Friends

Bundle up for a wintery outdoor adventure walk and a storybook reading in the Log Cabin. Walk titles are… “Garden Carol” “Animals & Trees” “Donkeys, Dragons & Drums” “Mitten Motifs” Ages: Family and Friends Fee Information: Included with admission Location: Lena Meijer Children’s …

Childrens Garden Read More »

...
08 Dec
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Lena Meijer Children's Garden
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HOURS

Sunday 11 am - 5 pm
Monday 9 am - 5 pm
Tuesday 9 am - 9 pm
Wednesday 9 am - 5 pm
Thursday 9 am - 5 pm
Friday 9 am - 5 pm
Saturday 9 am - 5 pm

RATES

Members (with ID) FREE
Adults (14-64) $20.00
Seniors (65 and older) $15.00
Students (with student ID) $15.00
Museums for All $2.00
Children (3-13) $10
Children (2 and younger) FREE

CONTACT US

Holiday Hours

We are closed on November 23, 2023, December 24, 2023, December 25, 2023, December 31, 2023, and January 1, 2024. 

Extended Hours

Enjoy extended holiday hours until 9 pm on December 18-22 and 26-30, 2023

Extended Member Early Hours

Members can enjoy early morning hours on Sundays 9-11 am from November 26 through January 7

HOURS

Sunday 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

RATES

Members (with ID) FREE
Adults (14-64) $20.00
Seniors (65 and older) $15.00
Students (with student ID) $15.00
Museums for All $2.00
Children (3-13) $10
Children (2 and younger) FREE