Take your class on an unforgettable journey of discovery, curiosity, and hands-on learning at Birmingham Botanical Gardens! Our Key Stage 1 sessions are designed to inspire young minds through interactive activities, sensory experiences, and exciting explorations of the natural world. With links to English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, and more, these sessions bring the curriculum to life in a vibrant and engaging environment that’s perfect for young learners. Browse our Key Stage 1 Sessions below.

For more information, or to book an exciting group visit, please contact us

In this session, we will ask your pupils to identify plant parts (stem, root, leaf etc.) and find out about the roles they play, before learning about the purpose of flowers in plants and the role that insects play in pollination and seed production. We then act this out as a class role-play, where everyone has a `job` to do, and one of your pupils will dress up as the all-important `buzzy bee` in our special costume! Finally, we link plants to food and investigate how easily identifiable common fruits and vegetables actually are.

Indoor session — Discover our rainforest seeds, tribal artefacts and preserved creepy crawlies to better understand this fascinating environment. Learn about where tropical rainforests are situated, the animals that inhabit them and why they are so endangered. Find out how rainforest plants grow and adapt to their unique environment. Also, discover which rainforest plants we eat and which we wear, as well as a whole host of others that are part of our everyday lives, in this fun and interactive, fact-based session!

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, Art & Design, Music (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment and Health & Wellbeing.

(Please see the Animal Handling description below for the selection of animals that will be chosen from – if there are any animals you would prefer to see or not see, then please state on your booking form (we cannot guarantee the availability of any animal). Animal Risk Assessment. Please note that, if chosen, the live animal presentation is an addition to this session and so does not form the basis of it. Therefore, only a selection of animals will be shown and some children may not have the opportunity to handle them.)

Indoor session — Take a look at our exciting and unique animal collection! You will have the opportunity to `get up close` with a range of exotic animals chosen from the following selection: Corn Snake, Bearded Dragon, Peter’s Banded Skink, Leopard Gecko, Fire Salamander, Giant African Land Snail, Madagascan Hissing Cockroach, and Sunny Stick Insect! Learn about the special adaptations that these creatures have developed and what habitat they live in, through close observation, together with the chance to handle them too! (We cannot guarantee the availability of any animal.)

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment.

Indoor session — Have your students ever seen plant DNA? Have they ever used a potato to tell the time? What’s special about cabbage? Are leaves really green? Here at the Gardens, we obviously think plants are amazing. So, have your students don their lab coat and safety glasses (provided), and investigate for themselves just how amazing in our practical, laboratory-style teaching session.

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Art & Design (see link at bottom of page for further details)

(Our thanks go to the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Millennium Point Trust for their support with this session.)

Outdoor session — Explore all four corners of the Earth, without leaving Birmingham. Experience tranquility in our Japanese Garden, admire the tallest tree species in the world in our Pinetum and wonder at the otherworldly plants found on the tundra. You can also marvel at our birds of the world collection in the beautiful Lawn Aviary and maybe bump into our free-roaming peacocks. The history and heritage of the Gardens will be prominent themes of the tour, though we can tailor your tour to any topic/theme. This tour will cover the outside Gardens but will not include our Glasshouses.

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment and Health & Wellbeing.

Glasshouse session — Take a trip through our four stunning Glasshouses, from the arid extreme to the vibrant tropical rainforest. Explore ways that our plants have adapted to survive and thrive in different climates and learn exciting facts from our expert guides! (We can tailor your tour to any topic/theme.) (Glasshouse Tours are conducted for 15 to 20 pupils at a time because of restricted space.)

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment and Health & Wellbeing.

Outdoor session — Enjoy time exploring our plant collection in a different way by exciting your senses! Explore the sights through a mirror walk, the smells through a smelly cocktail party and the textures with a group activity.

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, Art & Design (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment and Health & Wellbeing.

Outdoor session — We will encourage your pupils to create natural pieces of artwork in the style of Andy Goldsworthy. We will give you plenty of ideas before venturing out to create your own natural masterpieces, so don’t forget your camera! Finish the session by making a natural postcard to take home as a memento of your visit to the beautiful Gardens.

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, History, Art & Design (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment and Health & Wellbeing.

Indoor and Outdoor session — Understand that all organisms within a habitat interact with each other and have relevance in food chains. Can your pupils organise a food chain? What is a food web and can we make a group web? We utilise relevant terminology and discover how energy is lost between trophic levels in a fun outdoor watery game (pupils playing this game may get wet)!

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment.

Outdoor session — The Gardens are home to trees from all around the world. Have fun naming and learning more about them in this sensory and craft-based session as we take the blindfold challenge to explore their different textures, and make bark rubbings and a leaf crown to take home as a memento of your visit.

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, Art & Design (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment and Health & Wellbeing.

Outdoor session — Give your pupils the opportunity to compare two different habitats. Half of your class will have a go at pond-dipping to discover what monsters live in the watery depths whilst the other half will explore the Gardens for land minibeasts, before swapping over half-way through the session.

This session links to: English, Maths, Science, Geography, History (see link at bottom of page for further details). This session also links to the Environment.

For more information or to book an exciting educational visit, please contact us by telephone 0121 450 5093 or complete our booking form.

For more information, or to book an exciting educational visit, please contact us by telephone (0121 450 5093). Complete the form below and we will be in touch with more details about your visit.