Ithaca Children's Garden

08/24/2026

Tough Turtle Jr. is back, ready to challenge and delight Tompkins County’s most adventurous young turtles! Designed for kids 12 and under, this exciting obstacle course invites Junior Tough Turtles to run, climb, leap, and crawl their way through a thrilling, nature-inspired course — all in a safe and encouraging environment.

Test your turtle toughness as you race through the Garden, conquering obstacles like a hay bale pyramid, a tunnel through the wildflower meadow, and even a leap off Gaia.

Join us on Saturday, September 19, from 10am-1pm.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tough-turtle-junior-tickets-1998485705543?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Thank you to our generous 2026 Tough Turtle sponsors: Title Sponsor Home Depot and Presenting Sponsor Beginnings Credit Union. Additional support by Gourdlandia and Centralus Health.

08/21/2026

ICG is hiring! Love nature, play, and young learners? We're hiring a passionate educator to lead Garden Sprouts, an early childhood after-school program where children play, explore, and grow outdoors.

Apply today:https://www.ithacachildrensgarden.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Early-Childhood-Afterschool-Lead.pdf

08/06/2026

The Ithaca Children's Garden Board of Directors has appointed Leigh MacDonald as the organization's new Executive Director following her four-month tenure as Interim Executive Director.

A familiar face to many in our community, Leigh has been part of the Garden's story for more than two decades, helping grow our programs, strengthen our team, and advance our mission of connecting children with nature.

Learn more about Leigh's journey with ICG, her vision for the future, and the experience she brings to this new role here: https://www.ithacachildrensgarden.org/icg-board-appoints-leigh-macdonald-as-executive-director/

07/16/2026

The Air Quality Index (AQI) for our area is currently at 175, which falls in the Unhealthy range.

For the health and safety of our community, ICG cancels all programming when the AQI exceeds 150. This includes Summer Camp, Drop-In Discovery Days, and other scheduled programs.

Be sure to check the AQI over the next few days before heading to the Garden.

We'll continue monitoring conditions using AirNow.gov/

Thank you for your understanding as we prioritize the well-being of our campers, staff, and visitors.

07/14/2026

One person's trash is another camper's masterpiece!

Next week, our Summer Camp explorers will dive into Operation Re-Use, transforming everyday discarded items into works of art and creative inventions.

Want to help? Community members are invited to drop off clean donations in the collection basket outside the Yurt by 5 p.m. Friday, July 17.

We're collecting:

-Old terracotta pots or mosaic tiles
-Soda tabs, keys, silverware, and bottle caps
-CDs
-Mugs (chipped is okay!)
-T-shirts (for making reusable bags)
-Tin cans
-Large cardboard

Thank you for helping our campers discover that with a little creativity, yesterday's "junk" can become tomorrow's treasure.

07/09/2026

Fairy house construction is officially underway at Summer Camp! 🧚✨

Check out the sweet note one of our educators found at the building site.

06/30/2026

Important Summer Camp Announcement: Due to the extreme temperatures predicted for Wednesday (7/1) and Thursday (7/2) camp will be closing by 1PM.

Acorns pickup time will stay the same (12:30).

Please reach out with any questions, and remember to stay hydrated!

06/24/2026

From digging in the dirt to discovering new ways to play, ICG Summer Camp is where kids build friendships, explore nature, and turn curiosity into creativity. A few spots are still available:

-Acorns (ages 3–5) Open weeks throughout the summer: July 6–August 21

-Willows (ages 6–10) One special week still open: July 20–24: Theme: Operation ReUse! Could this be JUNK? Not at ICG! Campers will tinker, sort, reclaim, and transform everyday “trash” into art, inventions, and new possibilities.

-Maples (ages 10–13) Spots available: Week 3: July 13–17. Week 5: July 27–31, & Week 6: August 3–7

Give your child a summer full of wonder, exploration, and hands-on nature play. https://www.ithacachildrensgarden.org/programs/summer-camp/

06/11/2026

How to stay cool at the Garden:

Sprinklers ✅ Puddles ✅ Watermelon ✅ Sunhat ✅

Pure childhood joy. Happy International Day of Play!

06/03/2026