May 12, 2024

Happy Mother's Day, Robin! We know motherhood isn’t always roses and sunshine. That's why, this Mother's Day, we want to express our admiration and gratitude: we see you, we appreciate you, and we celebrate all that you do.

A Special Invitation to Everyone:

Do you know a mom with young children? This Mother's Day, why not give her the gift of time? Take the kids on an adventure to ICG and give Mom a few precious hours to herself. It's a win-win: Mom enjoys a well-deserved break, and the kids have a blast exploring all that the Garden has to offer. It's a day everyone will thank you for!

(Planning your visit is easy — just click here.)

Feature Story

Stories of Your Local Impact

We're still so grateful for our community's generosity a week later.

This April, community members like you came together to raise $20,000 for ICG’s Scholarship Fund in just 30 days! Thanks to you, financial barriers are lowered, allowing more children to benefit from ICG’s world-class educational outdoor programs. Your overwhelming support is a powerful endorsement of our shared belief that all children deserve the chance to connect, play, and grow in nature.

But your impact is more than just a number—it creates real, positive change in the lives of children and families right here in Tompkins County.

Today, we invite you to celebrate this milestone with us. Click the link below to discover the personal stories of how your contributions truly make a difference in your local community.

Garden Highlights

After School @ ICG

Spring has brought new life to the Garden! On this wet spring day, two kids and a student worker observe the toads in the Rice Paddy Pond singing and laying eggs.

Learn More About the Rice Paddy Pond >>

Quick Reminder: Kindness to Animals

As always, please be kind to the animals when you visit the Garden. They need to feel safe, just like you!

Wondering how to facilitate this at the Garden? Ask your child, "How can you help the animals feel safe while you're visiting their home?" or "If you were a frog, how would you like to be treated?"

Playful Nature Explorers

Playful Nature Explorers kids stomp in the mud. Four kids were working on a soup, but when three took over to create a jumping puddle, there was no stopping that energy!

A quick conflict happened: "They keep splashing me!" and a choice was offered: "You can move away from them since the soup is for jumping now." And it passed because watching them was so much more fun than being in conflict.

Troll House

Spotted! Snow White and her dwarves were discovered at ICG's Troll House early this week. But what were they doing there?

Hangar Theatre's cast for the upcoming show, SNOW WHITE, had a promotional photoshoot at the Garden. The Troll House was considered the perfect spot for these fairy tale characters.

Thank you to Hangar Theatre for choosing the Garden to capture the magic and whimsy of this fairytale.

Learn more and buy your tickets.

Future Dates for Family Fun

Upcoming ICG Dates

June

08

In the (Children's) Garden with Dr. Carver

2:30 to 4:30 PM | Free | Families will each have their own book to take home.

June

29

International Mud Day

10 AM to 1 PM | Free | Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Online registration before the event determines a general headcount for supplies. (Registration opens on May 26th.)