Our 2025 schools’ workshops will open for bookings shortly. In the meantime, you can find out more about school trips to the Garden below.
If you have any enquiries before booking, please contact us at schools@rbge.org.uk
Join the schools mailing list and receive updates about our exciting new offer for 2025.
Please see below for examples of the workshops that will be on offered in 2025.
All programmes are 90 minutes.
Our Senses, Our Stories (P1-3)
Take an amazing sensory journey through the natural world and explore your environment in surprising and unexpected ways. You will be guided on a tour of your senses through the garden, as you learn about how we can use them to help tell stories about ourselves and the world around us.
Teddy Bears’ Trail (P1-3)
(formerly Teddy Bears’ Picnic)
Edward Bear invites your pupils and their teddies on a magical sensory adventure, to learn about the wonders of nature and discover how living things obtain the necessities of life. We will explore the garden and we will think about how we can help look after the environment.
Wild Words - the Poetry of Plants (P4-7)
Inspired by the bestselling book ‘The Lost Words’ by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris, this programme helps to hone your observation skills and train your senses as you explore the gardens. We will build up a collection of ‘wonder words’ to describe what we see, feel, hear, smell and touch, and create a ‘word-hoard’ which can be used back at school to conjure up your own poems that capture the essence of your experience to share with others.
Life of Plants (P4-7)
Introducing you to the work of the Botanic Garden and what it takes to be a plant scientist. Explore the parts of a flower and what they do. Investigate the lifecycles of plants and recognise the different stages of their development throughout the seasons.
Booking a facilitated visit includes a 1.5hr workshop with a member of our learning team. We have also developed online materials to help you continue learning in school.
If you are planning to spend the whole day in the Garden, try one of our additional self-led activities available alongside a few of our programmes from our online resources.
Dates: 2024-2025 to be confirmed
You can book a half-day in the morning or in the afternoon. We are only able to work with one class at a time, if you wish to book two you can book one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Workshop Running Times:
AM: 10:30am – 12:00pm
PM: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Term 1 dates - Themed weeks 22nd Oct - 28th Nov
Term 2 dates - Themed weeks 20th Jan - 20th Feb; general programme - 04th Mar - 03rd Apr
Term 3 dates - general programme - 07th May - 26th Jun
£5 per child per workshop
£90 minimum charge per group, per workshop
You will be charged after the visit only for the number of children who attend (unless below the minimum fee). There is no charge for adult helpers. For payments via an invoice thought the Council please include your Purchase Order number in the booking request form.
Funding may available to support your visit - details will be available at the time of booking.
We have limited funding available in 2025 for schools that find it hard to access trips. This can support you with workshop and/or transport costs. Schools can request this at the time of booking.
Max group size: 35 children
To book, please complete our Booking Request Form
Download a copy of RBGE's School Risk Assessment.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide an indoor lunch space for groups at the moment.
If you would like to stay for lunch, we have a few lawns which are suitable. Please ask the staff for directions.
Another option for a picnic for a big group is Inverleith Park which is directly across the road from the John Hope Gateway, where the workshops run. It has a play park and grassy area for ball games.
If you have to cancel for any reason, please contact us via schools@rbge.org.uk at the earliest opportunity to discuss.
In the event of high winds forecast (38mph and upwards), the Garden may close at short notice based on readings taken onsite by staff, Met Office data, and safety concerns. If weather warnings are issued in advance of your visit, we will aim to contact you the day before to decide whether the visit will be cancelled and will try to rebook. You are advised to telephone 0131 552 7171 before leaving school if in any doubt.
Where possible we will try to reschedule any cancelled visits for a future date.
