| Membership | Price (+HST) |
|---|---|
| Single | $85/year |
| Single Plus | $120/year |
| Family | $130/year |
| Family Plus | $175/year |
| Contributing | $300/year |
| Supporting | $600/year |
| Sustaining | $1,000/year |
| Benefactor's Circle | $2,500/year |
| Director's Circle | $5,000/year |
| President's Circle | $10,000/year |
Early-Years Play
Early-Years Play: Oaks and Acorns Nature Play
RBG offers outdoor education programs for little explorers! Join us with your 2 to 5 year old throughout the year for fun and games as we explore and learn about our natural world.
About Oaks and Acorns
Move, create, and discover during our morning early-years programs for children and caregivers.
Held in the mornings behind the Nature Centre in our Natural Play Space, this nature-based program for 2-5 year-olds is designed to inspire a life-long love of the outdoors. Explore the natural world together through walks, storytelling, imaginative and loose parts play, and hands-on discovery. This program takes place entirely outdoors.
Program Dates
Winter Sessions
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. 5 sessions to choose from:
- Tuesdays: January 14, 21, 28, February, 4, 11, 18
- Wednesdays: January 15, 22, 29, February 5, 12, 19
- Thursdays: January 16, 23, 30, February 6, 13, 20
- Fridays: January 17, 24, 31, February 7, 14, 21
- Saturdays: January 18, 25, February 1, 8, 22, March 1 (No programming Feb 15)
Spring Sessions
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. 5 sessions to choose from:
- Tuesdays: March 18, 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22
- Wednesdays: March 19, 26, April 2, 9, 16, 23
- Thursdays: March 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17, 24
- Fridays: March 21, 28, April 4, 11, 25, May 2 (no program Friday, April 18 – Easter Weekend)
- Saturdays: March 22, 29, April 5, 12, 26, May 3 (no program Saturday, April 19 – Easter Weekend)
Late-Spring Sessions
9:30 to 11:30 a.m. 5 sessions to choose from:
- Tuesdays: May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3, 10
- Wednesdays: May 7, 14, 21, 28, June 4, 11
- Thursdays: May 8, 15, 22, 29, June 5, 12
- Fridays: May 9, 16, 23, 30, June 6, 13
- Saturdays: May 10, 17, 31, June 7, 14, 21 (no program Saturday, May 24 – Victoria Day Weekend)
Pricing and Registration
Pre-registration is required for all early-years programming, available online.
| Type of Registration | Price |
|---|---|
| Session 6-Week Pass One day per week for the duration of the season |
$120/child (+ HST & $2 Service Fee) RBG Member discount: 10% |
| Single Session Possibly available for weeks 2-6; only available if the 6-week pass does not sell out* |
$20/child (+ HST & $2 Service Fee) RBG Member discount: 10% |
- 16 children maximum per program
- Pre-Registration is required
- *Registration deadline: 2 days prior to program date
- Please Note: this is not a drop off program, you must stay with your child for the duration of the program
- All fees include complimentary admission for 1 parent/caregiver
- Program fee includes admission to all RBG garden areas for the day.
Accessing Member Discount
RBG Members receive 10% off most RBG Experiences programming when logged into your member account.
If you’re a member, do NOT create a new account; instead activate your member account by using “forgot password” option using the email address connected to your membership.
Held at the Arboretum
Early-Years Play programming is held at RBG’s Arboretum, 16 Old Guelph Road, Hamilton ON.
The Arboretum is more like an English landscape park than a garden. As its name implies, this is the place where you can see a wide variety of trees and other woody plants up close. It is especially beautiful in spring and fall.
More Family Fun
Every trip to RBG is a whole new adventure! Whether you’re visiting an interactive exhibit, learning a new skill, or just exploring the great outdoors, RBG offers year-round experiences that bring your family closer to nature.
Program FAQ
Do attending adults require a ticket?
Tickets are required for attending children only. All fees include complimentary admission for 1 parent/caregiver per child.
Please Note: this is not a drop off program, you must stay with your child for the duration of the program.
How many adults may attend the program?
All fees include complimentary admission for 1 parent/caregiver per child.
Does this program run in inclement weather?
Oaks and Acorns strives to inspire in children a life-long love of nature, in all seasons and all weather. We will only cancel program in the event of extreme weather such as high winds or extreme cold. If class is cancelled due to inclement weather, you will be notified by email at least one hour prior to class start time.
If a program is cancelled or postponed, a message will be posted on the Program Update Line at (905) 527-1158 ext. 404 at least one hour before the program is due to start. If the weather seems questionable, it is your responsibility to verify that your program is being offered.
What is the deadline for registration?
We close registration at 1:00pm, 10 days before the start of program.
What is the cancellation policy?
Royal Botanical Gardens reserves the right to cancel any program if the minimum number of participants is not reached. Should RBG cancel a program, registrants are notified by email and registrants are fully refunded.
We do not accept responsibility for inconvenience caused to those we cannot contact, whatever the reason.
10 business days prior to the registered program is the cut-off date for program refund requests by purchasers. Program registration change or modification requests will be put in sequence to be processed. All changes to program registration are subject to a non-refundable administration fee:
- More than 30 business days before the start of the registered program: Full refund or account credit less 10% of the registration fee.
- 30-11 business days prior to the start of the registered program: Full refund account or credit less 25% of the registration fee.
- Within 10 business days prior to the start of the registered program: No refund or account credit provided.
Where does this program take place?
Oaks and Acorns takes place at the playspace behind our Nature Interpretive Centre, located in the Arboretum: 16 Old Guelph Road, Waterdown.
Where do I park?
Participants may park in any of the parking spaces available at the Arboretum: angled parking near the entrance, the parking circle, or gravel parking lot near the entrance.
Registration for this program includes a free parking pass to be displayed on your dash during program. This pass is good through the final date of your Oaks and Acorns session
