Yesterday we had a day filled with East Lansing family fun on the campus of Michigan State University. After digging online and still not getting a clear picture of where to go or what to expect as a visitor with kids, I decided to do a post for all you visual learners like me.
Butterflies in the Garden is happening now through April 30, 2018 at the 4-H Children’s Gardens, and is a great excuse for some East Lansing family fun.
How To Get There
Your GPS can tell you which expressways to take. From there though? If you’re not familiar with campus, there are a lot of buildings with very small signs.
First, plug 1066 Bogue St. into your GPS, which will land you at the Plant & Soil Sciences Building {with a very small rectangular green sign out front}. On the weekends, parking is free and plentiful. During the week, you will need to pay $1.80/hour at a meter, and my guess parking won’t be as easy until school is out for the year.
From there, enter the back of the building, under the green awning. We didn’t see any signage except a little sign in the window, so beware. Upon entering, you will see a blue line on the ground. You can follow that to the restroom {genius idea since it’s a maze of halls!}, or follow the green vine to go to the butterfly house, which is located inside one of the many greenhouses.
The butterfly area was small, but for a FREE day, I thought it was definitely worth the drive. We saw lots of different species and they were gorgeous! My girls got SO excited every time they spotted one, and we had a nice time slowly walking through and finding them.
Note: You cannot bring a stroller inside the area, so bring a baby carrier or a designated baby holder if you have an infant. Stroller parking is right outside.
After exiting the greenhouse, children can pick which butterfly they would like to be and pose for a photo-op. How cute is this?!
Learn more about the special butterfly exhibit here.
From there, you can walk over to the Children’s Gardens, which are directly behind the building. My girls thought it was so magical…and nothing is even in bloom yet!
I can’t wait to go back for a visit when all the flowers are out. There is so much here for children to explore and learn about gardening, and this is the perfect spot for a summer picnic or to take photos.
They have some really neat programs that are free or low-cost, too.
Learn more about the 4-H Children’s Garden by following them on Facebook or visiting their website.
After visiting the butterflies and gardens, we decided to get a treat at the student-run Dairy Store. Again, small signs, so be on the lookout if you aren’t familiar with campus. I did see a few signs along the road, so that was helpful. It’s located inside Anthony Hall. It’s 1.4 miles from the gardens, so not too far, but with little feet with us, we opted to drive. We were able to park right in front of the building.
I loved the Big 10 inspired flavors, and opted for the Sesquicentennial Swirl flavor in support of the Spartans, and it was SO good. My girls loved their Blue Moon too {what kid doesn’t?!}. Such a neat little spot. We ate our ice cream on a nearby bench outside and my girls loved walking around and exploring more. The ice cream plant was closed for viewing {located upstairs}, but if you visit during the week, you may be able to catch a glimpse as to how they make everything.
Learn more about the MSU Dairy Store here: http://dairystore.msu.edu
Check out more Lansing area kid fun HERE.
What are your favorite things to do in East Lansing?
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