Mom watching son at microscope

Youth gardening

Places to plant, grow and imagine.
WSU Extension > Pierce County > MG Home > Educational outreach > Youth Gardening
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Youth gardening in Pierce County

Welcome sign at Gig Harbor Youth Garden

Whether you are a parent or a teacher, ignite in our children a passion for gardening from an early age. We offer youth gardening programs that allow kids to experience the wonders of this rewarding hobby firsthand. While building essential knowledge, these programs primarily aim to cultivate a lifelong love for the art of gardening. Nurture the gardeners of tomorrow by immersing them in this enriching experience today!


We have Youth Gardens and offer Youth Gardening Workshops out of both of our Demonstration Gardens. Read on for details.

Puyallup Youth Gardening

Workshop Schedule:

Contact Puyallup Youth Gardening

Note: we have a new email address, please ensure that your provider is not blocking us as spam:
childrensgardenteampuyallup@piercemg.org

Directions: Puyallup Demonstration Garden
Kids with a photo op behind a flower wall

25 years at the Puyallup Children’s Garden

For a quarter century, Pierce County Master Gardeners have delivered free classes on gardening basics and on the joy of and magic in growing food and plants. We’re back again with eight classes for your children, ages 3 – 11.

Our Youth Garden is located within our Puyallup Demonstration Garden.
Check our calendar for class dates. Check our Catalog, below, for course descriptions.

In additional to our scheduled programming, we welcome tours and visits to our garden outdoor classroom, as we can accommodate. If you are interested in scheduling a visit, please complete the ‘Contact’ form.

When? We welcome groups to our garden May 1 through mid-October, 9 am – 3 pm.
 
How? We depend on our volunteers to staff any visits. We ask for a minimum two-week notice of your request.

We hope to see you and your family in the garden!

Come visit us at the Puyallup Demonstration Garden

Even when we’re not hosting a Workshop, you can bring the kiddos and tour the Children’s Garden yourself. It’s educational and fun and a great way to pass the time. We’re open whenever the Demonstration Garden is open. And… free!

Welcome to Children's Garden

We’re located within the Demo Garden


Worm Bin

Check out how worms break down organic matter to help the soil

Naming plants

Quiz yourself and your kids on plant names. (No worry, answers provided)

The Dinosaur Garden

Check out plant types that have been around since the dinosaurs!

the Pirate ship

Sail a pirate ship.


A bee berm

Learn about bee berms

Garden 'musical' instruments

Play some ‘tunes on tools’

ladybug crossing sign

and watch out for Ladybugs!

Gig Harbor Youth Gardening

Youth gardening area at Gig Harbor Demo garden

Gig Harbor Demonstration Garden

Our Youth Program Workshops are designed to provide educational gardening opportunities for youth, ages 5-11, as well support to local schools and agencies.

All workshops are FREE.

Demonstration Garden Hours:
– Wednesdays, 9:30am to noon year round
– Saturdays, 10:00am to 2:00pm mid-April to mid-October

Workshop Schedule:

Workshop Registration:

  • Opens one month before class start date.
  • Registration for September 19th event open now.
Contact Gig Harbor Youth Gardening
Directions: Gig Harbor Demonstration Garden

Bring your kids and come visit Gig Harbor!

Even when we’re not hosting a Workshop, it’s educational and fun to stop by the garden and check things out. We’re open whenever the Demonstration Garden is open. And… free!

Potted friends on a bench

Meet some new friends


Bug Hotel

See if we’ve got any residents in our Bug Hotel

Tic Tac Toe board

Play Tic-Tac-Toe, gardener style

Ceramic frogs on a pond

Hang out by the mini pond with some friends

Ceramic dragon with Venus fly traps

Check the Venus Fly-Traps


Ceramic rabbit hiding in garden bed

Play a little ‘hide-n-seek’

Meet WSU’s Dr. Universe

Dr. Wendy Sue Universe with butterfly
Ask Dr. Universe website
Submit a Question

Who is Dr. Universe?

Dr. Wendy Sue Universe is a very smart cat who investigates tough questions from curious elementary and middle school students. Based out of Washington State University, Dr. Universe teams up with professors, researchers, and experts in the field to tackle big questions like: What is fire? Why does soda fizz? Why is the ocean salty? Why is liquid nitrogen so cold?

Washington State University is a public research university committed to its land-grant heritage and tradition of service to society.

Two butterflies on a rock

How do butterflies taste with their feet?

Butterflies use their feet to sample what they land on. If they’re walking across a leaf, that leaf is giving off all kinds of signals so, instead of having to feed on that leaf, their feet allow them to walk over the leaf and do preliminary tasting.

Follow the arrow below for more information
Butterfly feet
Researcher with barn owl

How do birds drink?

If you see birds that tend to come to a bird bath, that’s what you’re going to see,” Logsdon said. “Those are your finches, your robins, your songbirds, things like that. It’s the basic way they drink. Some birds—especially swallows and swifts—do a variation of that technique….
Follow the arrow below for more information
How Birds Drink
Butterfly up close

How can a regular person make a big difference in society?

Butterflies are in trouble. It made me think about your question. Taking care of butterflies—and other beneficial insects—is one way to make the world a better place.

Follow the arrow below for more information
Save Butterflies
Butterfly and leaf

Plants, Animals & Bugs Questions

The previous questions come from the Plants, Animals & Bugs section of the Dr. Universe website.

Follow the arrow below to more answers from Dr. Universe
Plants, Animals & Bugs
yeast cells

Why does bread expand in the oven?

Bread rises because it contains yeast. Yeast is a microscopic, single-celled fungus. Like all living things, yeast needs energy to grow and reproduce. It gets that energy by eating sugar….

Follow the arrow below for more information
Yeast Rises
Just pulled carrots

Why do carrots have sugar?

We eat the carrot plant’s root. That’s where the plant stores all the sugar it makes during photosynthesis. The sugars that carrots have are sucrose, glucose and fructose, and they’re stored in the root as a source of energy for the plant while it’s growing.

Follow the arrow below for more information
Carrots & Sugar
hand made compost bin

How do I make compost?

In the forest, leaves fall on the ground and come in contact with soil. Worms, centipedes, fungi and microorganisms all work on those leaves to break them down into organic matter. You don’t need anything fancy…

Follow the arrow below for more information
Making Compost
Heart in Apple

Food and Health Questions

The previous questions and answers come from the Food and Health section of the Dr. Universe website.

Follow the arrow below to more answers from Dr. Universe
Food & Health
Space shot showing sand blowing from the Sahara Desert

How does the wind move?

Air moves because the sun doesn’t hit the Earth’s surface evenly. Some places get warmer than others. When the air warms up, it rises. When it’s cool, it sinks. Air is mostly nitrogen and oxygen…

Follow the arrow below for more information
How Wind Moves
Snow melt running from Mt. Rainier

Where does the snow go after winter?

Snow is frozen water. When temperatures rise, it melts. The solid frozen water turns back into liquid water. That melted-snow water works just like rain water. But the soil can only hold so much water…

Follow the arrow below for more information
Earth & Sky
Moon stars and tree

Earth & Sky Questions

The previous questions and answers come from the Earth & Sky section of the Dr. Universe website.

Follow the arrow below to more answers from Dr. Universe
Earth & Sky

Frequently Asked Questions:

A: We will always try to meet your needs, however it will depend on the size of the group, the amount of lead time and our available volunteers. Best way to find out is to contact us with your details and we’ll get back to you with what we are able to do.

Contact Youth Gardening Program

Gig Harbor: Children of all ages are always welcome to visit with their parents but Workshops are designed for ages 5 – 11 and only registered children are allowed to participate but younger sibs are welcome to observe.

Puyallup: These are family events. A parent or guardian must attend with the child.
Siblings are welcome, but the events are generally geared for ages 3-11.