LISLE, Ill. (Aug. 7, 2026)—The Morton Arboretum, the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) and WeGo Together for Kids celebrated with parents, children and community partners on Tuesday for the opening of three new Basics-inspired garden spaces in the Arboretum’s Children’s Garden. The initiative creates new opportunities for families to explore nature while discovering how everyday interactions can support young children’s development.
By combining expertise in early childhood development with nature-based learning, the Arboretum, DCHD and WeGo Together for Kids created the three garden spaces to help families put The Basics into practice while spending time outdoors. The Basics is a set of five research-based principles that support early childhood development and were created through the Achievement Gap Initiative at Harvard University in partnership with the Black Philanthropy
Fund in Boston.
“The Children’s Garden has always been a place where families come together to explore, discover and build connections with nature,” said Arboretum President and CEO Jill Koski. “Through our partnership with the DuPage County Health Department and WeGo Together for Kids, we’re expanding that connection by helping families see how everyday time outdoors can spark conversation, curiosity and shared discovery.”
The three garden spaces feature interactive experiences designed to encourage conversation, storytelling, observation and play while families explore the Children’s Garden.
“The Basics provides families with simple, powerful tools they can use in everyday moments to support children’s development,” said DCHD Executive Director Adam Forker. “These garden spaces bring that message to life by helping families explore nature together and discover simple ways to nurture their child’s growth and well-being.”
Throughout the three garden spaces, families will find interactive experiences that encourage conversation, storytelling, observation and play. Highlights include flipbooks with family activity ideas, literacy experiences, nature exploration prompts and a vegetable garden inspired by “The Tale of Peter Rabbit.”
The experiences throughout the gardens bring all five Basics principles to life:
● Maximize Love, Manage Stress
● Talk, Sing and Point
● Count, Group and Compare
● Explore Through Movement and Play
● Read and Discuss Stories
“The Basics reminds parents and caregivers that the loving interactions they share every day have tremendous value,” said WeGo Together for Kids Early Childhood Manager Jennifer Rodriguez. “These garden spaces invite families to slow down, notice the world around them, ask questions, play together and have conversations that support children’s growth.”
Inspired by research showing that approximately 80% of brain growth occurs during a child’s first three years, The Basics helps families support early development through simple, everyday interactions. These new garden spaces demonstrate how those moments can happen naturally through outdoor exploration.
“Nature is one of the best classrooms we have,” said Emilian Geczi, senior manager of early learning at the Arboretum. “Whether children are noticing a bird, comparing leaves or telling stories about what they discover, they’re developing language, observation and problem-solving skills. These gardens help families recognize the learning opportunities already present in the moments they share outdoors.”
The Basics is designed to be accessible for all families, building on activities parents and caregivers already do every day, such as reading stories, asking questions, counting objects and exploring nature together.
The Children’s Garden at The Morton Arboretum is generously supported by International Paper and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.
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About The Morton Arboretum
The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized tree-focused botanical garden and research center near Chicago in Lisle, Illinois. Its 1,700 acres include specialty tree and plant collections, nine miles of roads and 16 miles of hiking trails, a central Grand Garden, Children’s Garden, educational programs and a Visitor Center. Information about exhibitions, events and admission is available at mortonarb.org.
About the DuPage County Health Department
The DuPage County Health Department, established in 1944, supports the health of DuPage County’s nearly one million residents through comprehensive services, including maternal child health, disease prevention, environmental health, behavioral health and 24/7 crisis intervention. It provides accessible physical and mental health care for uninsured and underinsured residents and works with community partners to improve the well-being of all ages.
About WeGo Together for Kids
WeGo Together for Kids is a community partnership in West Chicago that brings together more than 70 organizations to support families with children from birth through 12th grade. It provides coordinated resources, educational support, family programs, and essential services across key focus areas, all aimed at strengthening the health, safety, learning, and well‑being of the community.
