More News

Each year for one day only, Brookside Gardens opens its electronic gates for parents and their progeny for Children's Day. And with "Nature's Fun in Your Backyard" and pollination comprising this year's theme, this Saturday event promises to be a buzz of activity.

Within the designated five hours, nature activity tents will welcome folks to make a flowerpot out of newspaper or get up close and personal with a slew of bugs including the University of Maryland's 6-year-old Rosie the Tarantula. Even with plenty of planned events, there will be time for youngsters to climb through a hollowed-out sycamore trunk, which county arborists claim was probably 120 years old before being struck by lightning a couple of years ago.

As some 3,000 folks pouring onto the 50-acre grounds, Lynn Richards, Brookside's education coordinator, suggests that families start by stopping in at the Visitor's Center information desk to obtain a kid's passport for a schedule of events and map.

At first, tireless tots might make a beeline for the recently constructed Children's Garden to explore a tree house or hide inside a gnome's home. They also may want to start small, by watching a real-life "very hungry caterpillar" eat and drop its business on a plant's lower leaves. Volunteers stationed in the garden will explain the purpose of this overeating: the caterpillar needs the nourishment for its time in the cocoon before transforming into a Monarch butterfly.

While the Children's Garden will be filled with the sounds of pollinators making their way through the salvia and marigolds, just beyond a stand of trees, the Washington Area Music Award-winning rock band RTT (Rhodes Tavern Troubadours) will perform twice, at 1 and 3 p.m. The child-oriented "roots rock that parents can stand listening to," includes their hit song "Mommy Turn It Up," RTT singer Jake Flack says.

In conjunction with the pollination theme, Barry Thompson, of the Montgomery County Bee Keepers Association, hopes to educate little ones about the importance of fertilization. He'll bring along a glassed-in beehive so visitors can observe worker bees and their queen within the contained environment. Honeybees may be Thompson's business — his hives pollinate Butler's Orchards — but he also will discuss equally important pollinators like birds, bats, bugs and butterflies whose roles cannot be underestimated.

"Without them, we wouldn't be eating those delicious peaches or strawberries," Thompson points out.

Even after chasing a swallowtail butterfly or observing scores of busy bees, Richards predicts youngsters will get all bug-eyed when the University of Maryland Entomology Department brings out its live collection of unusual insects.

Graduate students or "bug wranglers will take insects out of their cages for children to pet and in some cases hold," says Michael Raupp, entomology professor and education outreach coordinator at Maryland. Touching is permitted only with a parent's permission, he adds, noting that only "docile" insects from the university's bug zoo will be let out of their cages at Brookside. Among them will be the non-stinging Vinegarroon scorpion, "the ever impressive hissing cockroach, praying mantis and giant walking sticks." The venomous stinging emperor scorpion, might make an appearance but Raupp promises, it will stay securely locked within its home.

Children's Day is not all observational. With youngsters able to sift through soil, haul around watering cans and observe red worms chewing their way through fresh lettuce leaves, they can get down and dirty. Young architects-in-training can "Make A Creature Condo," a home for a garden critter, out of natural materials.

Science turns into the fine arts within the fragrance garden, where the Botanical Art Society of the National Capital Region will offer a variety of art projects for all ages. Folks can color with crayons or color pencils, make a bookmark or paint a watercolor landscape.

"We want to define what botanical art is and also introduce visitors to watercolors," says BASNCR spokeswoman Rita Pazzelli.

New this year is the art project "Frame Your View." Empty frames attached to stakes will be strategically placed around the fragrance garden. Participants can attempt to recreate the landscape they see within the rectangle. While Pazzelli notes this exercise is suited for older youngsters, anyone can try their hand at plein air.

BASNCR will provide all the materials, so the only prerequisite is an imagination. With all the science, art, music and physical activity at Brookside that day, naptime promises to be peaceful for both youngsters and their handlers.

Children's Day is planned for Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Brookside Gardens, 1800 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton. The RTTs will perform from noon to 1 p.m. and from 2 to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Call 301-962-1400 or visit www.brooksidegardens.org.