Inspire curiosity and creativity with Youth & Family classes at 577. Designed to mirror adult programming, these hands-on experiences introduce young learners and families to arts, cooking, nature, gardening, skill-building, and more. Taught by passionate community educators and 577 staff, each class encourages exploration, learning, and connection in a supportive environment. With small class sizes, participants enjoy personalized instruction in the Pottery Studio, Cottage, Virginia’s House, and the beautiful gardens and grounds of 577—where discovery happens naturally.
Join us for engaging, family-friendly learning experiences that spark a love for creativity and the natural world.
Upcoming Classes
October classes open for registration on Wednesday, August 26, at 9am. Click HERE to view a full list of upcoming classes.
Preschool Move, Play & Grow: Bugs
Friday, August 28 ~ 10am to 11am
Ages 2.5-5 & Adult 18+
Join our bug-themed sensorimotor fun fest for kids ages 2.5 to 5 and their caregiver. Dive into creative activity stations designed and led by an occupational therapist to boost coordination for little hands, eyes, and the whole body as well as supporting sensory processing, social skills, self-regulation and more.
It’s a playful mix of learning, fun, and getting ready to conquer the world of play, sports, and beyond!
Community Instructor: Mary Davies, OT
Preschool Move, Play & Grow: Birds
Friday, September 11 ~ 10am to 11am
Ages 2.5-5 & Adult 18+
Join us for a bird-themed sensory adventure designed for kids ages 2.5 to 5 and their adult caregivers. Dive into creative activity stations designed and led by an occupational therapist to boost coordination for little hands, eyes, and the whole body as well as supporting sensory processing, social skills, self-regulation and more.
It’s a playful mix of learning, fun, and getting ready to conquer the world of play, sports, and beyond!
Community Instructor: Mary Davies, OT
Youth Art Adventures: Nature is an Artist
Friday, September 18 ~ 10am to 11am
Ages 2-6 & Adult 18+
Explore nature through story and art in this class designed for preschoolers and their adult guardian. We will read “Nature is an Artist” by Jennifer Lavallee, illustrated by Natalia Colombo, then create art with all sorts of art materials and pieces of nature.
Class Notes: Cost is per child—please register each child attending. Adults are free and do not need to register. Caregivers should attend class with their child. This class is designed for 2- to 6-year-olds with an adult guardian. Homeschool kiddos are welcome.
577 Staff Instructor: Avery Bohman
Youth Art: Colorful Ice Cream Cone
Saturday, September 19 ~ 10am to 11:30am
Ages 7-13
Create your own three scoop ice cream cone with acrylic paints in this fun and creative class for young artists ages 7 to 13. Each child will paint their own unique cone with step-by-step instruction, while learning basic painting techniques like warm and cool color palettes and color mixing. Paintings will be on 10″ x 20″ recycled cardboard. All materials provided.
Important Note: This class is open to children ages 7 to 13. Youth Classes are designed to be drop-off classes to support the creative process. Adult guardians will be asked to drop students off at the beginning of class and return at the scheduled end time for pickup. This allows young artists to fully engage, explore, and create independently. Please remember to arrive on time for both drop-off and pick-up.
Community Instructor: Robin Sears
Youth Pottery: Pumpkins & Bats
Tuesday, September 22 ~ 4:30pm to 6pm
Ages 7-17
Let’s get spooky! In this hands-on pottery class, youth will create two pinch pot pumpkins and a bat-shaped wall hanging, making a festive collection of handmade decorations perfect for Halloween and the fall season.
Your instructor will guide participants step by step, demonstrating how to form pumpkins using the pinch pot method. Along the way, youth will have plenty of opportunities to add textures, patterns, carved faces, and other creative details to give each pumpkin its own unique personality. Participants will also learn how to cut a bat shape from a clay slab, then refine and smooth the edges to create a finished wall hanging.
Once the clay work is complete, participants will decorate their pumpkins and bats with underglazes (liquid colored clay), bringing their creations to life with festive colors and imaginative designs. After class, our pottery staff will complete the firing and glazing process. Each project will be bisque-fired, glazed, and fired again to create durable keepsakes that can be enjoyed for many seasons to come. Families will be notified by email in approximately two weeks when their finished pieces are ready for pickup.
Important Class Notes: This class is open to children ages 7 to 17. No prior pottery experience is required. Youth Pottery Classes are designed to be drop-off classes to support the creative process. Adult guardians will be asked to drop students off at the beginning of class and return at the scheduled end time for pickup. This allows young artists to fully engage, explore, and create independently
577 Staff Instructor: Alison Buchanan
Preschool Musical Jamboree: Fall Fun
Friday, September 25 ~ 10am to 10:45am
Ages 2-6 & Adult 18+
Join us for this special musical- and fall-themed class designed for preschoolers and their adult partner. Together we’ll enjoy a story by Miss Elaine, play with toy instruments, sing and dance, and paint a tree with bright fall colors using sponges.
This engaging experience is designed to spark curiosity and creativity while fostering special moments between you and your little one. Come ready to learn, play, and grow together! Class Notes: Please register each participating child individually; adults attend free as part of their role as caregivers.
Community Instructor: Elaine Sneider
Kids Explore Nature: Toymakers’ Workshop
Saturday, September 26 ~ 10am to 11:30am
Ages 4-7 & Adult 18+
Young explorers will create toys with nature. Using their imagination and creativity, each child will create a unique nature-inspired toy with sticks of various shapes and sizes. Learn how to peel the bark and decorate with fun art supplies such as paint, yarn, beads, bells, and more.
To celebrate nature, we’ll also learn about mandalas and make our very own nature mandalas with found objects at 577 including rocks, leaves, sticks, petals, and more. Nature mandalas will be left at 577 to display, but participants may take what they learned and create lots of beautiful eco-friendly mandalas at home!
Class Notes: Please register each participating child individually; adults attend free as part of their role as caregivers.
Community Instructor: Nancy and John Salerno
Family Art: Tie Dyeing ~ Spooky Spider
Thursday, October 1 ~ 6pm to 7:30pm
Ages 7-17/Adults 18+
Learn how to create a spooky spider-inspired tie-dye design in this family class. Using a unique folding and dye placement technique, participants will create a web-like burst with the look of a spider woven into the design. Each person will design and dye their own T-shirt while learning the basics of color placement, pattern folding, and dye application. With different color combinations and dye patterns, every shirt will be one-of-a-kind.
All materials are provided; simply note your T-shirt size at registration. Participants will take their shirts home damp and sealed in a bag, along with rinse-out instructions and textile detergent to help preserve the vibrant colors. Please come dressed to get a little messy and have a lot of fun!
Class Notes: Each registration is for one (1) or two (2) youth between the ages of 7 and 17, with one accompanying adult age 18 or older. Due to the small class size, only one adult may accompany the registered youth participant(s).
Community Instructor: Michelle Fisher
Preschool Musical Jamboree: Fun With Pumpkins
Friday, October 2 ~ 10am to 10:45am
Ages 2-6 & Adult 18+
Join us for this special musical- and pumpkin-themed class designed for preschoolers and their adult partner. Together we’ll enjoy a story by Miss Elaine, play with toy instruments, sing and dance, and create a pumpkin-themed craft.
This engaging experience is designed to spark curiosity and creativity while fostering special moments between you and your little one. Come ready to learn, play, and grow together! Class Notes: Please register each participating child individually; adults attend free as part of their role as caregivers.
Community Instructor: Elaine Sneider
Youth Pottery: Autumn Bear
Monday, October 12 ~ 9:30am to 11am
Ages 7-17
Get cozy with the changing seasons! In this hands-on pottery class, youth will create their own adorable fall-themed bear sculpture, building the bear’s head and body using the pinch pot technique and adding plenty of personality with handmade details and autumn-inspired accessories.
Your instructor will guide participants step by step, demonstrating how to form pinch pots and transform them into the bear’s head and body. Along the way, youth participants will learn how to sculpt and attach individual pieces, including ears, arms, legs, and facial features. Participants will also have the opportunity to personalize their bears with handmade accessories such as hats, scarves, and other fall-inspired details.
Once the clay work is complete, participants will decorate their bears with underglazes (liquid colored clay), bringing their sculptures to life with color and creative details. After class, our pottery staff will complete the firing and glazing process. Each sculpture will be fired and glazed to create a finished fall keepsake. Families will be notified by email when their finished bears are ready for pickup.
Perrysburg Schools are closed on this date, making it a great day for a little extra creativity! Homeschool families are welcome to join us, too.
Important Class Notes: This class is open to children ages 7 to 17. No prior pottery experience is required. Youth Pottery Classes are designed to be drop-off classes to support the creative process. Adult guardians will be asked to drop students off at the beginning of class and return at the scheduled end time for pickup. This allows young artists to fully engage, explore, and create independently
577 Staff Instructor: Alison Buchanan
Family Pottery: Haunted House Wall Hangings
Monday, October 12 ~ 2pm to 4pm
Ages 7-17/Adults 18+
Get into the spooky spirit together! In this hands-on family pottery class, an adult and child will work together to create one haunted house wall hanging, making a festive piece of Halloween décor to enjoy year after year.
Your instructor will guide families step by step, beginning with a pre-rolled clay slab and demonstrating how to use a provided template to cut out the haunted house shape, then refine and smooth the edges. Once the basic house is formed, families will have plenty of creative freedom to make their haunted house their own. Add doors and windows, friendly ghosts, pumpkins, bats, spooky trees, and other Halloween-inspired details to create a one-of-a-kind scene.
Once the clay work is complete, families will decorate their haunted house with underglazes (liquid colored clay), bringing their spooky scene to life with their own colors and creative designs. After class, our pottery staff will complete the firing and glazing process. Each wall hanging will be glazed and fired to create a finished Halloween keepsake. Families will be notified by email when their finished pieces are ready for pickup.
Perrysburg Schools are closed on this date, so take part of the day to get creative together at 577! Homeschool families are welcome to join us, too
Class Notes: Each registration is for one (1) youth between the ages of 7 and 17, with one accompanying adult age 18 or older. Due to the small class size, only one adult may accompany each registered youth. If an adult would like to attend with multiple youth participants, please register each youth individually and list the adult’s name for each registration.
577 Staff Instructor: Alison Buchanan
Youth Art: Jack-O’-Lantern
Wednesday, October 14 ~ 4pm to 5:30pm
Ages 7-13
Create your own festive jack-o’-lantern with acrylic paints in this fun and creative class for young artists ages 7 to 13. Each child will paint a jack-o’-lantern scene with step-by-step instruction, while learning basic painting techniques like warm and cool color palettes and color mixing. Paintings will be on 11″ x 14″ recycled cardboard. All materials provided.
Important Note: This class is open to children ages 7 to 13. Youth Classes are designed to be drop-off classes to support the creative process. Adult guardians will be asked to drop students off at the beginning of class and return at the scheduled end time for pickup. This allows young artists to fully engage, explore, and create independently. Please remember to arrive on time for both drop-off and pick-up.
Community Instructor: Robin Sears
Preschool Move, Play & Grow: Leaves
Friday, October 23 ~ 10am to 11am
Ages 2.5-5 & Adult 18+
Join our leaf-themed sensorimotor fun fest for kids ages 2.5-5 and their caregiver. Dive into creative activity stations designed and led by an occupational therapist to boost coordination for little hands, eyes, and the whole body as well as supporting sensory processing, social skills, self-regulation and more.
It’s a playful mix of learning, fun, and getting ready to conquer the world of play, sports, and beyond!
Community Instructor: Mary Davies, OT
Intro to Crochet for Families
Wednesday, October 28 ~ 6pm to 8pm
Ages 7-17/Adults 18+
Learn to crochet together as a family! Whether you need a refresher or you’ve never picked up a hook before, each adult and child pair will focus on how to tie a slip knot, how to chain stitch (the foundation of crochet), and the single crochet stitch. Each participant will create a project of their choice – a dishcloth, a coaster, a scarf, or a little lap blanket.
Participants will have a variety of yarns and tools on hand to choose from. We’ll start by choosing your desired project, your yarn color, and the correct-sized hook. All supplies are included to reduce beginner frustration from using the wrong tools. Everyone will receive a crochet hook and a ball of yarn along with handouts for reference when practicing and helping each other at home.
Class Notes: Each registration is for one (1) youth between the ages of 7 to 17, with an accompanying adult 18 years old and older. Due to the small class size, only one adult may accompany the youth registered. If an adult would like to accompany multiple youth participants, please sign up each youth participant individually and list the adult’s name for each registration.
Community Instructor: Annie Johnson
Youth Art: Whimsical Watercolor & Ink Monsters
Thursday, October 29 ~ 5pm to 7pm
Ages 7-15
Young artists will have a blast exploring watercolor and pen and ink as they create their own whimsical monsters and fanciful creatures. 577 Staff Artists Bennett Dowling and Connie Stose will provide plenty of support and inspiration along the way.
Participants will begin with simple guided exercises to get comfortable with watercolor and ink techniques before letting their imaginations take over. With instructor support and fun prompts for inspiration, each participant can experiment, explore, and bring their own one-of-a-kind creatures to life. Each participant will receive several sheets of paper suitable for practice and finished projects. All materials are provided.
Important Note: This class is open to children ages 7 to 15. Youth Classes are designed to be drop-off classes to support the creative process. Adult guardians will be asked to drop students off at the beginning of class and return at the scheduled end time for pickup. This allows young artists to fully engage, explore, and create independently. Please remember to arrive on time for both drop-off and pick-up.
577 Staff Instructors: Bennett Dowling & Connie Stose
Youth Art Adventures: Halloween Party
Friday, October 30 ~ 10am to 11am
Ages 2-6 & Adult 18+
Celebrate Halloween through story, music, movement, and hands-on creativity. Designed for children ages 2 to 6 years old and their adult partner, this playful class explores lots of Halloween fun, including a story, song and dance, crafts, Halloween bingo, and a special sweet treat at the end! Kiddos can also come dressed up in their costumes.
Class Notes: Cost is per child; please register each child attending. Adults are free, and caregivers should attend class with their child. Treats may include dairy, wheat, and nuts.
577 Staff Instructor: Avery Bohman
Program Registration Policies & Forms
577 is committed to creating welcoming and inclusive experiences for all participants. If you have accessibility needs or require reasonable accommodations to fully participate, we encourage you to contact us before your class so we can work with you to provide appropriate support whenever possible.
Class Locations & Parking Map
Signed up for a class and need help finding your classroom location and parking? Each class description lists its location. Click the button below to view a full map of the grounds and buildings with two lots available for easy and convenient parking.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Because space is limited, we rely on you to register for classes thoughtfully. Please help us continue to offer these wonderful classes as affordably as possible by adhering to the following registration, cancellation, and refund policies.
Photo & Video Release
Photos and videos may be taken during 577 classes and events for use on our website and other relevant media outlets and your attendance constitutes consent. View the full policy below including how you can opt-out of this release.