Child & Family Events & Classes

Child & Family

Events

Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming March 1–April 30, Daylight hours only. Lena Meijer Children’s Garden

Butterflies are blooming for all ages in the Lena Meijer Children’s Garden. Whether you’re looking for guided or self-guided play, check at the Information Center to discover which engaging outdoor activities await you. Activities vary daily: • Join us Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 10:30 am for spring-themed stories about butterflies, moths, gardens, and rain! • Participate in Discovery Cart Activities including fun, educational butterfly and insect-themed games. • Navigate the Butterfly Maze. • Discover butterfly and moth-themed books and a giant butterfly puzzle in the Log Cabin. • Pose for a photo in the people-sized butterfly chair.

Farm Garden Springtime Walks Wednesday, April 13, 20 and 27, 10 am Michigan’s Farm Garden

The Farm Garden will be the focus for these wonderful springtime walks for preschoolers and their families. Each week, kids will explore the Farm, participate in kidfriendly activities and listen to fun farm stories. Hope to see you down on the Farm! Themes include: • Finding Out About Farm Animals • How Does the Farm Garden Grow? • Old-Fashioned Farm Fun Events are included with the cost of admission unless otherwise noted. Classes will be subject to COVID-19 guidelines in place at the time of the event.

Earth Day – Every Day! Saturday, April 23, 1–4 pm Lena Meijer Children’s Garden

Celebrate Earth awareness the Children’s Garden way. Activities will include: nature walks, interactive stories, live Michigan animal demonstrations, and a collaborative nature weaving on our giant weaving loom.

“A-May-zing” Children’s Garden Discoveries! Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, May 2–31, 10:30 am Lena Meijer Children’s Garden

Observe, listen, and learn how May is a time for gardens, flowers, animals, and more! Activities vary daily and may include: mini naturalist walks, outdoor games, springthemed storytimes, and interactive puppet shows.

Just for Moms Saturday, May 7, 10 am–12 pm Lena Meijer Children’s Garden

Treat your mom (or another special person in your life) with unique Mother’s Day activities in the Children’s Garden. Activities will include: Mom Appreciation stories, “Mom and Me” music time, and exploration in the gardens to discover favorite colors and flowers.

Summer Camps Save the Date! We’re planning a summer full of fun camp opportunities for learners ages 4–14! Registration opens March 15 at MeijerGardens.org/calendar.

Classes

Advance registration and payment required. Register at MeijerGardens.org/Calendar. Fees include admission to Meijer Gardens for participants on the day of the class.

Primary Printmaking (10–14) Sunday, March 13, 1–3 pm $30 members | $40 nonmembers Instructed by Taylor Bultema

Visit the Gwen Frostic Woodland Shade Garden to get inspired by nature and learn about the fascinating life of Michigan artist, poet, educator, and philosopher Gwen Frostic. Then head to the classroom to create a set of collagraphs—prints made by collaging textured materials onto a rigid surface, which is then inked and transferred onto paper.

Simple Ceramics (10–14) Saturday, March 19, 10 am–12 pm $30 members | $40 nonmembers Instructed by Mary Lamson-Burke

Get creative with clay! Learn about and try your hand at a variety of hand-building techniques. Create a sampling of simple pots, include interesting textures, shapes, and patterns, then use or display your creations at home!

Flower Power: Finding Out About Flowers (5–8) Saturday, March 26, 10 am–12 pm $30 members | $40 nonmembers Instructed by Denise Devries

Explore flowers closely using microscopes and hand lenses, and learn the importance of each part. Then create funky, fun, 2D and 3D floral designs to take home. Wake Up Spring! (4–5 with Adult) Tuesday, April 5, 10–11:30 am $15 members | $18 nonmembers Instructed by Jennifer Gilmore

Learn about our friendly pollinators, native Mason bees, and make a hanging bee house. Then pot a “bee-utiful” plant in an eco-friendly container. Place it near your bee house to attract our winged friends.

Beginning Batik (8–10) Tuesday, April 5, 1–3 pm $30 members | $40 nonmembers Instructed by Vickie Wilkinson

Become inspired by the sculpture of Yinka Shonibare CBE and his use of colorful Dutch wax-printed fabrics. Learn about the unique process of batik and experiment with the tools, techniques, and processes of resist dying. Create a colorful fabric sampler to take home.

Mini Japanese Garden (6–10 with Adult) Wednesday, April 6, 10–11:30 am $15 members | $18 nonmembers Instructed by Erin Willet

Explore The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden as you discover traditional Japanese Garden elements and what makes this garden unique. Participants will then work together to create their own distinctive tabletop garden.

Butterfly Fun (5-7) Wednesday, April 6, 12:30–2:30 pm $30 members | $40 nonmembers Instructed by Erin Willet

Let the Fred & Dorothy Fichter Butterflies Are Blooming exhibition spark your creativity as you observe an array of colorful butterflies. Learn how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly by playing an engaging butterfly game. Create a mask and wings to wear while listening to butterfly stories. Fun With Flowers: Spring Floral Wreaths (5+ with Adult) Tuesday, April 12, 7–9 pm $20 members | $24 nonmembers Instructed by Kara Wilkinson

Be inspired by spring and learn fun facts about flowers. Using a variety of fresh blooms and natural elements, create a one-of-a-kind floral wreath to wear or display!

Plein Air Painting: Blossoms In The Japanese Garden (6-10) Saturday, April 30, 1–3 pm $30 members | $40 nonmembers Instructed by Denise Devries

Learn the history and techniques of plein air— or outdoor—painting. Explore The Richard & Helen DeVos Japanese Garden with an artist’s eye to discover the variety of spring blooms. Then, using the colors, shapes and textures as inspiration, create a masterpiece all your own!

Bees And Biscuits (Families with children ages 5+) Saturday, May 21, 10 am–12 pm $45 per member family | $55 per nonmember family Instructed by Amy Wood

Explore the fascinating world of honeybees: Where do bees sleep, what do they eat, why are they so important to us all? Listen to honeybee stories and play a variety of honeybee games— and together create simple biscuits in order to sample a variety of honey.

Email questions to classes@meijergardens.org. For scholariship assistance call 616-974-5225. Cancellation Policy: withdraw from a class at least 30 days in advance for a full refund. Withdraw 7 to 29 days in advance and receive a 50% refund. No refund if within 7 days. Call 616-975-3184 or 616-975-3147 for cancellations and/or questions.

Preschool Explorations

$15 members | $18 nonmembers per session

Designed for preschool-aged children with an adult, this series investigates a variety of themes in various interesting locations throughout our gardens and grounds—in a preschool-friendly way! Instructor Molly Carlson will engage participants in curious discovery and use their senses to explore and wonder. Sign up for one session or all three. Sculpture! Wednesday, May 4 , 10–11:30 am Ride the Kid’s Tram around the Sculpture Park and discover the many colors, shapes and textures found in sculpture. View sculptures that are really tall—and some that are really small! Then use your hands to create your own sensational sculpture.

Water! Wednesday, May 11, 10–11:30 am Who needs water? We all do! Come with us on a Kid’s Tram ride around Meijer Gardens and explore where water is, how we use water, and who or what needs water. Then, back in the classroom, investigate the amazing properties of water with fun, kid-friendly experiments!

Spring! Wednesday, May 18, 10–11:30 am Spring has sprung! Join us for a Kid’s Tram ride around Meijer Gardens as we explore spring. We’ll make a special stop at Michigan’s Farm Garden to investigate plants and sculptures—while looking for and collecting signs of spring!