A Place Where Children Can
PLAY~LEARN~CONNECT
MISSION
Our mission is to inspire children to love and care for our planet by creating an accessible and inclusive outdoor space where children can learn, play, and connect with nature.
VISION
The Portland Children’s Garden is transforming an empty lot in the Sellwood neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, into a vibrant garden for the community.
FOUNDATIONS
We are guided by permaculture principles, native habitat restoration, and equitable access to nature-based education that prioritizes child-led, open-ended, hands-on, and play-based learning.
PLAY
Play is central to a thriving life. We aim to foster these experiences in children, recognizing that their presence throughout childhood leads to increased resilience and improved social and health outcomes throughout their lives.
LEARN
A garden is the perfect place for children to learn by doing. They engage all of their senses and collaborate on projects. Children of various ages and with different learning styles can all find ways to interact with the Earth in a garden.
CONNECT
We want children to have as much connection with each other and the Earth as they can. In this high-tech age where screens abound, we want children to climb and move freely, to put their hands in the soil, and to have communal experiences with each other and the creatures around them.
“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”
-Audrey Hepburn