Two-year-old Miles toddled into the Story Stones area in Enchanted Woods at Winterthur and immediately spotted something intriguing. He grabbed a scoop from a bucket of potting soil and began to dig. The adults around him laughed and gently reminded him that he would have to wait until after story time to start the activity related to the book of the day.
He sat on a stone with his grandmother, Pat Caplan, and patiently waited as other children began to find their way to the clearing from different parts of the three-acre children’s garden. Caplan, a Winterthur Member, explained that she was babysitting for the day and checked Winterthur’s website to find an activity to entertain Miles.
Story time, included with admission to Winterthur, fit the bill perfectly.
Story Time in Enchanted Woods is designed for children aged 3‒6 and takes place every Thursday at 11:00 am from April through October among the Story Stones, one of many magical features of the garden.
After each nature-centered story, children enjoy a sensory station with objects and activities that match the day’s story. On the day Miles and his grandmother visited, the activity involved planting seeds in a biodegradable paper cup for the children to take home.
Even without story time, Enchanted Woods is the perfect place to bring young children to let their imaginations run free. Designed to appear as though it was crafted by fairies, Enchanted Woods weaves its own tale, free of references to popular children’s stories, making the garden feel timeless and like a blank slate that children can fill with their imaginations. Its creation myth speaks of the fairies and sprites—missing the laughter of children who once played there—gathering artifacts from the Winterthur estate to build a spellbinding haven.
Recently, the Atlas Obscura podcast devoted an episode to Enchanted Woods, highlighting its unique charm.
Story time enhances this wonderful experience, often led by volunteers like Michele Weiner, a Winterthur Member and teacher who has worked with students struggling to read. As a story time volunteer, Weiner emphasizes the pictures in the books she reads and stays animated to keep the children’s attention. She is one of more than 250 volunteers who give their time to Winterthur.
On this day in Enchanted Woods, Weiner captivated the children, especially Miles, whom she addressed by name several times during the reading, having met him only moments earlier. For Miles, this personal touch made the day with his grandmother even more special.
