Youth & Family

Youth and family class topics mirror adult programming with subjects such as arts, nature, gardening, skill-building, and more. Current offerings are limited due to the pandemic but look for more classes soon. Classes are taught by community educators and 577 staff. Class sizes are small and may take place in the Cottage, House, and outdoors around the beautiful gardens and grounds of 577.

Upcoming Classes

Preschool: Animals A to Z
Wednesdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24 ~ 10am to 10:45am

Designed for preschoolers and their adult caregivers, children will grow in their love for animals by exploring four different types of animals through games, songs, stories, crafts and a walk around 577. 

*Cost is per child~ please register each child attending. Adults are free and caregivers MUST attend class with their child.

Community Instructor: Elaine Sneider

Kids Explore Nature: Bats are Back!
Saturday, April 27 ~ 10am to 11:30am

Young explorers will learn all about the importance of bats in the environment. Designed for kids ages 4 to 7 with an adult guardian, families will meet at 577’s Outdoor Stage for fun and games and then move to our Garage Studio to build a bat house for home in this indoor and outdoor class. Completed bat houses will be approximately 15″ by 24″.

*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. Please dress for the weather as part of the class will be outside.

Community Instructors: Nancy & John Salerno

Youth Art Adventures: Earth Day!
Monday, April 15 ~ 10am to 11am

Celebrate Earth Day through story and art! Designed for children ages 3 to 6 years old and an adult guardian, together we will read Biscuit’s Earth Day Celebration by Alyssa Satin Capucilli and create an eco-friendly art project. We will explore using common household and craft items like pipe cleaners, Q-Tips, toilet paper rolls, and bubble wrap. We will also walk the grounds (weather permitting) to explore Earth’s beauty and wonder.

*Cost is per child~ please register each child attending. Adults are free and caregivers MUST attend class with their child.

577 Staff Instructor: Avery Bohman

Preschool: Fun with Flowers
Tuesdays, May 7, 14, 21, 28 ~ 10am to 10:45am

Designed for preschoolers and their adult caregivers, children will have fun learning all about flowers while enjoying games, crafts, stories, and a walk around 577. Students should wear old clothes. Smocks will be provided but you may bring your own.

*Cost is per child~ please register each child attending. Adults are free and caregivers MUST attend class with their child. Any missed classes within this series cannot be prorated. 

Community Instructor: Elaine Sneider

Youth Art Adventures: Nature Explorers
Saturday, May 18 ~ 10am to 11am

Explore nature through story and art in this class designed for preschoolers and their adult guardian. We will read “We’re Going on a Nature Hunt” by Steve Metzger and listen and dance to some nature and garden-themed preschool tunes. We will end the fun morning by making an upcycled nature treasure box and then walk the 577 gardens and grounds on our very own nature hunt.

The class is designed for 2 to 6-year-olds with an adult guardian. Homeschool kiddos are welcome.

*Cost is per child~ please register each child attending. Adults are free and caregivers MUST attend class with their child.

577 Staff Instructor: Avery Bohman

Kids Explore Nature: Scarecrows for the Garden
Saturday, May 25 ~ 10am to 11:30am

Young explorers will learn all about the history and importance of using scarecrows and how they can protect our gardens. Designed for kids ages 4 to 7 with an adult guardian, families will meet at 577’s Outdoor Stage for fun and games and then move to our Garage Studio to build their very own dancing scarecrow to use at home.

Completed scarecrows will be approximately 36″ tall. Please bring an old hat to use on your scarecrow.

*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. Please dress for the weather as part of the class will be outside.

Community Instructors: Nancy & John Salerno

Create Your Own Shoe ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 8 to 17
Monday, May 13 ~ 4:30pm to 6pm

This class is open to children ages 8 to 17. No prerequisite or experience is required.

Join us in May for a clay class perfect for your kiddo who loves shoes! Each child should pick out their favorite shoes and bring them to class. Then, with guidance from Emily, your pottery class instructor, each child will build one shoe drawing inspiration from the real thing.

Class time will be spent constructing their shoe and then using underglazes to paint their completed sculpture. After a bisque fire, Emily will dip each in a clear glaze creating a shiny finish and durability. Once completed, your child will love all the ways it can be used: admire it on a bookshelf or mantle, plant it with a house plant or flowers, or it will definitely make a stylish pen/pencil holder.

Pickup will be scheduled for two to three weeks later. Each child will receive a notification via email. No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

Please note: Adults are not required to attend youth pottery classes. Students may be dropped off at the beginning of class and picked up at the scheduled end time. Please remember to be on time.

No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

Aquarium/Terrariums ~ Youth Pottery for Ages 6 to 11 
Monday, April 1 ~ 4:30pm to 6pm

This class is open to children ages 6 to 11. No prerequisite or experience is required.

Join Emily, 577’s pottery coordinator, in this fun class using clay to express your creativity! April’s adventure is perfect if the kiddo in your life is interested in aquatic or plant life. Emily will start class by demonstrating how to roll out slabs, clean edges, and make all kinds of creative shapes like fish, plants, sea life, for the aquariums and plants, bugs, and other fun for the terrariums. Reference photos will be available to help with their design.

Students will finish class customizing their designs by painting with underglazes. Adding bright stripes and patterns to fish and foliage will bring this project to life. After the first fire, Emily will glaze with clear to give the projects a beautiful shine and keep them durable. An email will be sent out with a pick-up date scheduled a couple of weeks late to schedule pickup.

Please note: Adults are not required to attend youth pottery classes. Students may be dropped off at the beginning of class and picked up at the scheduled end time. Please remember to be on time.

No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

April Family Pottery: For Ages 7 to 17 w/ Adult
Thursday, April 4 ~ 5pm to 6:30pm

This family pottery class is open to children 7 to 17 with an adult over 18, no prerequisite or experience is required.

Join Emily Horst, 577’s pottery coordinator, for a new family class featuring a monograph letter. This family clay class is for both child and their accompanying adult to enjoy an exploration of hand-built pottery projects. This month’s adventure in the 577 Pottery Studio will be to create a wall hanging piece personalized with the letter of your choice. They will be perfect for hanging in a bedroom or on a door, or try placing on a mantle or in the garden. The options are endless.

The class will begin by rolling out slabs of clay together in preparation for cutting out the letter of your choice. Once cut out, Emily will demonstrate how to add pizzazz using coils, stamps, carving tools, and more to create a dynamic and sculptural piece. After construction, you can choose to either paint your letter with underglazes or pick from the many colors of our class glazes.

No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

Class Registration Requirments:
• 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.

May Family Pottery: For Ages 6 to 17 w/ Adult
Friday, May 31 ~ 9am to 11am

This family pottery class is open to children 7 to 17 with an adult over 18, no prerequisite or experience is required.

Did you know there are over 100 different games you can play with Dominos?! This month’s family pottery class is the perfect chance to make family game night even better. Come in and have a blast with your little one making your own set of Dominos. Each Domino set has 28 pieces, so you’re welcome to split the work or tag team on each piece.

Pottery Coordinator Emily Horst will show everyone how you can decorate your pieces to really make this set your own. Examples will include using to stamps to add the family name to each domino, painting with favorite colors, or even creating a simple puzzle by painting an image on the backside of your set.

Emily will fire your domino sets with pickup scheduled for two to three weeks later. Each pair will receive a notification via email. No experience is necessary. Come play in the clay!

Class Registration Requirments:
• Each registration is for one (1) youth between the ages of 6 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.

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. 

Located at 577 East Front Street in Perrysburg, 577 is open daily, 9am to 5pm. Free admission to tour the gardens and grounds. The Welcome Center & Curiosity Shop is open Monday ~ Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

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