Field Trips
We’re excited for the return of field trips to the Garden this fall!
With new safety protocols in place, we welcome school and community groups to visit for select field trip experiences. Scroll down to explore your options. To book your visit and learn more contact learn@vandusen.org.
Create an online booking account. It’s free, easy and secure.
Self-guided Program
Browse our selection of self-guided tours, lesson plans, guides and scavenger hunts to design the perfect day for your students at the Garden. A self-guided program allows for customized tours with ample time for a visit to VanDusen’s Elizabethan Maze.
VBGA Education staff will work with teachers before their visit to identify the best resources for their classes. We will greet the group upon arrival for a short orientation and review of the Code of Conduct before you explore the Garden.
Seed Secrets
October & November; Monday – Friday at 10:00 am & 12:30 pm
Bring your class outside to experience the wonders of fall! We’re excited to offer a unique field trip for students from Preschool to Grade 4 class or homeschool group. Use our self-guided curriculum to customize your Garden exploration, and visit an activity station for a demonstration on seeds and germination.
Kits for Schools & Home Learners
Bring the Garden to your schoolyard, backyard, or local green space! We’re excited to offer nature-based teaching kits with some of your young learners’ favourite field trip activities, along with access to our online course, Flower to Fruit. With books, experiments, and games, kits are curriculum-linked and sure to engage students from Kindergarten through Grade 4. Contact learn@vandusen.org to order.
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+-Pre-trip Information
Download the VanDusen Pre-trip Info Packet or Bloedel Pre-trip Information Packet to prepare for a successful day in the Garden or Conservatory with your class. The packet includes:
- Field Trip Policies & Guidelines
- Code of Conduct
- Directions
Be sure to carefully review the information and share it with your students, chaperones, and colleagues as appropriate.
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+-Library Teacher Catalogue
Have you been to the Yosef Wosk Library at VanDusen? You’ll find it’s an excellent resource for learning and teaching about plants, people, and the places that support them. Download our Books by Theme Teacher Catalogue to explore titles to help you prepare lessons before or after your trip to the Garden.
Teacher Testimonies
“Our instructors were amazing! Very knowledgeable and great with the children! They learned a lot and I will be back next year.”
“My students learned a lot through hands on, real life experience. They have only learned about some plants and birds, but this was the first time they actually got a chance to see the real thing.”
“This is the best field trip I’ve been on in 15 years.”