The Secret Garden

Free worksheets and activities to go with the book The Secret Garden!

Here are some worksheets and activities to use with the classic children’s novel The Secret Garden by Frances Eliza Hodgson Burnett!

This PDF file is totally free to print and use!

It includes both educational resources to use with the book, as well as fun The Secret Garden-themed activities, too!

This set of printables includes illustrations by Maria Louise Kirk, who illustrated the first edition of The Secret Garden.

I love for my children to listen to audiobooks as part of their homeschooling. These worksheets are great to pair with an audiobook recording of The Secret Garden!

I’ll provide links and resources to audiobook suggestions for The Secret Garden, too — both free, paid, and for a Yoto player!

Let’s take a closer look at what’s included in this PDF, and what audiobook resources I recommend!

When you’re ready to print, the FREE PDF resource can be found at the bottom of the page!

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Suggested Audiobook Recordings/Resources

While we have The Secret Garden on our bookshelf, audiobook recordings are very relaxing to listen to!

Audiobook recordings are especially helpful for younger children who may not have the reading skill level to read the novel themselves.

Audiobooks make it possible for even the youngest children to enjoy The Secret Garden!

While you can just read the book while using these companion activities, here’s what I suggest in terms of audiobook recordings for The Secret Garden. You do NOT need all of these resources! Just one audiobook recording will do!

• The Secret Garden Yoto card for those of you who have a Yoto player
• This Audiobook recording read by Jenny Agutter
• Want a totally free audioboook recording of The Secret Garden? You can find one on Librivox here!

Now that we’ve discussed audiobook options, let’s look at what’s included in this set of free printable activities!

Multiple Choice Quiz

First in this printable is a quiz for The Secret Garden.

Read (or listen to!) The Secret Garden before taking this quiz.

Then, answer each multiple choice answer to see how much your child remembers the story of The Secret Garden!

Need an answer key?

The answer key for this quiz can be found below.

Answers to multiple choice quiz:

1. b) Unpleasant
2. c) Nobody
3. a) Mistress Craven died in the garden
4. c) Being outside
5. c) She is unsure because it is still winter.
6. a) Pull weeds
7. b) Her sickly cousin
8. a) Spoiled and unpleasant
9. c) He becomes healthy
10. b) He is overjoyed

Look And Write

Featuring the beautiful vintage illustrations by Maria Louise Kirk, the next section is a collection of “Look and Write” activities.

Look at each illustration from The Secret Garden.

Then, answer the questions asked about the illustration/story.

Need a little help guiding your child to know what they might write about?

Check out the answer key below!

“Look and Write” Sample Answers:

1. “Look at the picture below. What is happening? Write a paragraph that tells about this part of the story.” In this picture, Mary is unlocking the Secret Garden for the first time. She found the key in some freshly overturned dirt, and then began to try and find the entrance to the garden. While she is looking, a breeze blows some ivy out of the way, revealing the door to the garden. Mary immediately unlocks the gate, revealing an overgrown garden.
2. “Look at the picture below. Write a paragraph that tells about each of the characters in the picture. Who is each person? What is each person like?” This picture shows (from left to right) Mary, Colin, Ben Weatherstaff, and Dickon Sowerby. Mary is the main character in the story, spoiled and mean at the beginning of the book, gradually losing her unpleasantness by the end of the story. Colin is Mary’s spoiled and grouchy hypochondriac cousin, and the son of Archibald Craven, the master of Misselthwaite Manor. Ben is the gardener, rough around the edges, but friendly — shown by his friendship with a Robin and care for the secret garden over the years. Dickon is the brother of Martha, the friendly maid, and is friendly from the start — both to human and animal friends.
3. “Look at the picture below. Write a paragraph that tells about Mary’s friendships. Does she always have friends? Who are her friends?” At the beginning of the story, Mary is unloved by even her parents, and in turn loves nobody around her. She has no friends to speak of. When she arrives at her uncle’s house, she is greeted by Martha, Ben, and Ben’s robin, and their kindness begins to soften Mary. Soon, Mary has many friends — Martha, Ben, Dickon, Susan (the mother of Martha and Dickon), and the robin. By the end of the story, she has even won the hearts and friendships of her cousin Colin and of her uncle.
4. “Look at the picture below. Write a paragraph about the problems faced in The Secret Garden, and how their friends help to solve them.” Examples of problems include: Mary’s journey to loving and being loved, unlocking the secret garden, helping Colin conquer his fears, and helping Archibald Craven heal relationships around him.
5. “Look at the picture below. Write a paragraph about the similarities between Colin and Mary seen throughout the story. Do you think that Mary was able to help Colin because she could relate to him? Why?” Colin and Mary are both neglected by their parents. They are both spoiled in an attempt to keep them quiet and out of sight, which in turn makes them unkind and sickly. Mary is the first to experience love, friendship, and fresh air, and quickly sees through Colin’s antics as she, too, used to throw similar tantrums. This insight into Colin’s feelings and experiences helps Mary lead him to the same love and light that she experienced.

Flip Book Activity

Here’s a fun The Secret Garden themed activity that allows your child to bring out the colored pencils, scissors, and glue!

Your child will create a flip book to illustrate how to plant and grow flowers.

This fun craft project will give your child the opportunity to practice using sequential order words — “First, Next, Then, Last.”

Have your child draw the stages of growing flowers in a garden.

You can also have them write a few words about each stage of growing flowers.

Then, have them print out each page of the book, being sure to leave on each sequential order word and number.

Don’t forget to cut out the cover page, too!

Then, have your child glue the pages together and let dry.

If you’d prefer — an adult can staple the pages together instead of using glue!

Once completed, allow your child to share and enjoy their new book with you!

My Garden

For this activity, your child will have a space to write all about their very own (imaginary or real!) garden.

The writing prompts at the top of the page will help direct your child as they imagine their very own garden space!

Can your child think back to The Secret Garden and tell you the significance of the robin illustration on the bottom of the page?

Emotions and The Secret Garden

Give your child space to talk about their emotions to help them further relate to each character in The Secret Garden!

The children in The Secret Garden certainly made their emotions known.

How does your child feel in response to various situations in their own life?

Does your child think Colin and Mary responded well or poorly to the emotions they experienced in the story?

Print your Free PDF here!

Ready to print out your The Secret Garden worksheets?

You can print out your FREE printable PDF below!