field trip Rules and Regulations

The Overland Park Arboretum and Botanical Gardens has been a wonderful resource for nature walks for more than a decade. There are so many interesting birds, plants and animals, kids can be entertained for hours.

Because we are an Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and not a park, garden etiquette is very important. Before you visit, please help us accommodate your needs by following these rules:

• Please call 913/685-3604 to let us know when you are coming and how many people are in your group. If you have selected a date and there are already two or three schools planning on attending, we will suggest you choose a different date. This will insure there are enough picnic tables, trash receptacles and restroom facilities for everyone. There is no fee for your visit.
  
  
• Please bring at least one chaperone for every five children. Please select chaperones who are truly interested in monitoring your group's activities.
  
  
• Please plan your activities to take place along the trails and in the Children’s Discovery Garden area. There are plenty of wildflowers, insects and other creatures for the children to study. Wolf Creek offers quite a bit to see, if your group is prepared to get a little wet or muddy.
  
  
• Our floral plantings are not designed for large numbers of children, and they are not allowed to handle the flowers and insects. Nature in the wooded areas can be handled and replaced. Please encourage the children to return at a later date with their family to enjoy the gardens.
  
  
• Please instruct your group that there is absolutely no collecting allowed.  Please do not allow them to remove leaves, insects, flowers, sticks, etc.
  
  
• Please monitor children’s restroom visits; many children are tempted to play in the water in the sinks, and the splashed water can make the floor slick and increase the potential for falls.
  
  
• Please instruct your bus/van drivers to drop off the group at the entrance sidewalk then park the vehicle on the back side of the parking lot. Please do not allow them to take up optimal parking spaces or block handicap spaces.
  
  
• We currently do not have a program for children, nor do we have enough staff to lead tours; however, we can have a representative greet your group and explain the rules.

Thank you for your cooperation. We feel the Arboretum and Botanical Gardens are a wonderful resource for our children. We want their visit to be educational, safe and fun.