SCHOOL VACATION WEEK PROGRAMS
Celebrate your school vacation and summer break at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. During school vacation weeks you’ll find family classes and workshops, nature walks, scavenger hunts, and a themed drop-in activity room with hands-on crafts, projects, and investigations for children of all ages.
Each February and April school vacation features a different kid-friendly theme designed to connect you and your young friends with the wonderful world right outside your windows. Learn, craft, create, tinker, play, and experiment together as a family.
Join us during the summer months for week-long day programs for ages 5-6 or 7-10. These full-day programs are for nature-lovers who love to hike the trails, investigate, craft, play, and experiment. Themes change from week-to-week, registration for summer programs opens in January.
Please note, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill aligns its vacation week activities with the Worcester Public Schools calendar.
February Vacation Week: Nature Quest
Saturday, February 15th through Friday, February 21st 10am–4pm
Level up this February break and turn the natural world into your gaming adventure! Gear up for an action-packed week of thrilling mini-games and exciting challenges that feel like you’ve stepped right into a video game. Embark on epic side quests in our youth classes or spend your day exploring the outdoors and unlocking hidden secrets of the plant realm. Adventure awaits—are you ready to play?
Free Drop-in Activities | All Ages
Saturday to Friday, February 15 to 21, 10am–4pm
Winter Discoveries | Ages 5-6
Join us for a fun-filled week of exploration, investigation, and creation in nature.
Monday – Friday, February 17 to 21, 9am–12pm
Memory Mosaic | Ages 8-12
Take a polaroid of your favorite orchid and decorate a frame with mosaic tiles inspired by Tetris.
Saturday, February 15, 11am–12:30pm
Pixel Terrariums | Ages 6-12
Create your own succulent terrarium filled with colorful pixel brick designs and characters.
Sunday, February 16, 1–2:30pm
Adventure Quest | Ages 8-12
Embark on an epic side quest as you hike the trails and take on nature challenges and puzzles.
Monday, February 17, 2–3pm
8-bit Orchids | Ages 8-12
Explore the outstanding orchid displays and create your own orchids using fuse beads.
Tuesday, February 18, 2–3:30pm
Winter Garden Buds | Ages 3-5
Join us for circle time, a story, a take-home craft packet, and a guided garden adventure.
Wednesday, February 19, 10:30–11:30am
Resource Rangers | Ages 6-9
Explore nature, search for items, and create in this Minecraft-inspired inventory hike.
Thursday, February 20, 1–2pm
Orchid Prints | Ages 7-12
Explore the orchid exhibition and create colorful prints using a simple block-printing technique.
Friday, February 21, 2–3:30pm
SAVE THE DATE!
April Vacation Week: Seeds of Sorcery
Saturday, April 19th through Thursday, April 24th, 10am–4pm
Welcome all witches, wizards, and warlocks! Journey into a world of magic this April break as you explore our transformed drop-in activity room and enroll in our supernatural science classes. Whether you are practicing spells, mastering herbology, or studying fantastical beasts, there’s an adventure waiting for every young sorcerer.
REGISTER TODAY!
Join us for fun-filled weeks of exploration, investigation, and creation in nature this summer!
Summer Discoveries
Please note Summer Discoveries is a full-day drop-off program for children ages 5-6, 7-10, and 11-13. Space is limited to 10 children per age range.
Week of July 14 – 18
Cosmic Explorers | Ages 5-6
Cosmic Explorers | Ages 7-10
Week of July 21 – 25
Secret Agents | Ages 5-6
Secret Agents | Ages 7-10
Week of July 28 – August 1
Bugs & Blooms | Ages 5-6
Bugs & Blooms | Ages 7-10
Week of August 4 – 8
Secret Agents | Ages 7-10
Earth Trekkers | Ages 11-13
Check out our photo gallery from previous vacation week programs below.
