Families wandered amid the alphabet-labeled plants and the Alice in Wonderland maze while middle and high school students read children's stories in a garden Tuesday.
East Lansing Public Library, 950 Abbott Road, hosted Stories in the Garden at the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden, located at the corner of Wilson Road and Bogue Street.
"It brings people to MSU," said Mary Hennessey, librarian. "They live in East Lansing and sometimes don't come to MSU."
Student volunteers brought the children's stories to life through voice inflections and encouraged listeners to join in if they knew a part of the story.
"It's great for the kids because if they're not interested, they can keep walking. I tell the teen volunteers not to be upset if a kid sees a butterfly and walks away," Hennessey said.
Teens enjoy the program, but said it can be hard to keep the children's interest among mazes, play structures and musical chimes.
"Sometimes, they have (short attention spans), so you have to make them laugh," said Ashley McClinton, a 12-year-old East Lansing resident and program volunteer.
The free event attracted about 200 people, said Norm Lownds, the children's garden curator.
Usually about 15 students sign up to volunteer, but Tuesday's session attracted 30 volunteers, Hennessey said. She added that it's the greatest number of volunteers she's seen for the program.
"It's just the way their schedules go," she said. "Some kids are at band camp, some kids' families go on vacation. It just depends on when they're around."
Lownds provided a pizza lunch for the volunteers. The library gave volunteers free T-shirts and water bottles, Hennessey said.
Friends of the East Lansing Public Library, a group of volunteers who raise funding, pay for T-shirts and water bottles, which cost about $5-$10 per person, Hennessey said.
Stories in the Garden began in 1998 as an effort to engage teenagers in the community.
"The library underwent renovations and a lot of books were stored away, but I still wanted to continue the teen program, so I brought them out to the children's garden," Hennessey said.
"It gets kids out into the community and adults can see teens doing good things."
"For residents, the children's garden provides an outlet for summer activities," said Heather de Morrow, an East Lansing resident. "It's good to be with other families and to be out in the community. It's amazing we have this garden that's so close. Not every town has this."
De Morrow and her husband, Christopher, bring their sons Aidan and Alec to the garden regularly, but this was their first time attending Stories in the Garden.
"They just love playing with the other children," Heather de Morrow said. "It's good to get them to a place where they're able to run around."
Lownds said he sees a number of students visit the garden, although it's geared towards children. The horticulture professor encourages MSU students to volunteer in the garden.
"Kids are so appreciative, and they think college students are the coolest thing walking. It's a good way for students to meet people from the community," he said.
