06/18/2026
Accessibility & Inclusivity Review:
The Morton Arboretum : Children’s Garden
📍Lisle, IL
There’s so much to love here. It’s clear this space was designed with thoughtful input from people experienced in supporting kids with varied support needs.
✅ Supports & Accessibility
Before you even enter the garden, the Arboretum has incredible sensory and communication supports available online and for loan at the Visitor Center, including:
– Social stories
– Picture communication & visual cue cards
– First/Then Velcro board
– Proprioceptive activity ideas
– Headphones, fidgets, visual timers
– A full book of additional visual supports
🌳 The Garden Itself
-Fully fenced (with one main entrance)
-Paved paths and gentle ramps throughout most of its 4 acres
-Multi-age play opportunities: gross motor, fine motor, sensory, and nature play
-Safety surfacing in many areas
-Water feature for wading
-Educational workshops & learning opportunities
-On-site bathrooms, changing tables, picnic space, quiet area, water refill stations, and a private family restroom in visitor center
🌼 Sensory-Friendly Programming
The Arboretum offers sensory-friendly events — the final one for this year is on October 27, and pre-registration is required via their website.
⚠️ Considerations
There are areas of open water both inside and outside the garden — important to keep in mind if your child tends to elope.
We weren’t able to explore every corner, so we couldn’t confirm whether there’s adaptive play equipment for disabled visitors or wheelchair users. We plan to follow up and will update when we know more.
Overall: The Morton Arboretum’s Children’s Garden is a beautifully designed, inclusive space with thoughtful sensory and communication supports — a fantastic spot for ND families to explore. We’ll definitely be back!
