BioPark Experience: Children’s Fantasy Garden

Enter the Children’s Fantasy Garden and you’ll be serenaded by the tranquil sound of water, which is running over in a huge bowl reminiscent of the gargantuan sized mosaic bench in Barcelona’s Parque Güell. Towering over to your left is a monster of epic proportions—a fire-breathing dragon that puffs smoke for special effect.

If you dare pass the dragon and enter the exhibit, you’ll enter a shaded room that resembles a hobbit hole—children can use their imaginations here as they try to decipher the varying sized footprints on the floor.

As you continue, see how many large mushrooms you can find, but don’t stop just yet. To your right is a maze that looks like it could have been modeled after some of New Mexico’s very own hoodoos. Here, children chatter and laugh as they try to solve the maze. 

Next, you’ll step into a larger-than-life world where ants are four feet long and even the trashcans take on a new life. Stop for a moment and play a huge xylophone that mimics the look of a wooden bridge.

As you continue on your path, you’ll encounter the largest pine cones you’ve ever seen. Keep your eyes open for a cleverly disguised slide before you enter the ooey, gooey insides of a gigantic pumpkin (complete with pulp and seeds).

As you step out of the pumpkin, you may notice a huge source of beta-carotene to your left. See how many carrots you can spot in this made-for-a-giant garden before you enter a peaceful courtyard in front of a castle tower—now we know just what it was that the dragon was guarding. Take a pit stop and let the kiddos play in a huge sandbox before you leave the castle.

While saying your farewells to the dragon and the Fantasy Garden, concentrate closely on the ivy-wrapped arch you're walking under—there’s more to it than you might think.

Although this exhibit is called the Children’s Fantasy Garden, it offers fun for kids and adults alike. You can use your imagination as you spend some time wandering through the exhibit.

Exhibit Details

Activity time: 15-45 minutes, depending on how much time you want to spend playing

Cost: Free with admission to the Botanic Garden

Story: Tina Deines