“Imagine our city’s future led by a generation of lifelong gardeners and naturalists.” – vision of the Children’s Eco Programs
Our purpose at the Children’s Eco Programs is to educate Toronto’s children, youth and community members about environmental, physical and social health. We provide a variety of environmental education opportunities including curriculum based school programs, summer Eco Camps, youth cooking programs, free family drop-ins and free community events. Using Toronto’s gardens, parks and ravines, children are able to explore and investigate an outstanding urban natural environment.
The High Park Children’s Garden (a 2009 David Suzuki Digs My Garden Contest award winner) is our flagship garden. It’s an organic education garden planted, maintained and harvested by children, for children. This fully accessible site is home to a butterfly garden, a fedge (a hedge made from edible plants – a “food hedge”), a naturalized hillside garden and a variety of raised vegetable and herb beds shaped to spell out ABC.
Map – High Park And Children’s Garden
Our Exploring Toronto Programs offer a unique look at nature in an urban environment. Nature, science, geography and social sciences are just a few of the topics covered while hiking along one of Toronto’s engaging Discovery Walks. Drama, art and dance are some of the tools used to educate students and campers while learning more about our environment.
The Children’s Teaching Kitchen. This outstanding environmentally friendly facility provides room for a variety of new, year round programs and is built using sustainable building practices. To learn more about this amazing space click here.
As a major urban centre Toronto is fortunate to have such diverse natural areas. The Children’s Eco Programs are here to help kids learn, play and discover a whole new world right in their own backyard!
Little Fingers in the Soil, Little Feet on the Trail, Little Tummies in the Kitchen
Can you please advise what sort of activity (gardening and kichen etc.for kids )you have in the first two weeks in July?
We’ll have our Thursday morning Drop in Program available from 10 am to 11:30 pm for children from walking age to 12 (or so – we often get older children to help out with activities for the younger ones) and our summer camps will be running at High Park for ages 6-10 and 10- 13 and at the Music Garden for 6-9 year olds. Registration can be done through the City of Toronto Website
Are you not doing the Eco Sprouts program for 4-5 year olds this summer?
We will be running the sprouts camp for 2014 all 8 weeks starting Monday, June 30th with Tues. July 1st off as a holiday. I’ll be posting the rest of the information shortly and registration starts 7 am on Saturday, March 1st. You can currently find more information on the City’s online registration site either through the FUN Guide or look under Camps, Complex: High Park (and make sure to uncheck the box that says show only programs available for registration). Let me know if you have any other questions!