Just because school lets out for summer doesn’t mean that the learning needs to end. Bloedel Reserve is offering nature inspired workshops for children that are educational, creative and fun. Using the Reserve’s grounds as inspiration, children will create projects from summer’s bounty of materials and leave with a deeper appreciation of nature’s beauty and the art that occurs throughout the natural world.

Classes are being offered Friday, June 27 and July 9 through July 11.

Friday, June 27: Children’s Floral Workshop with Bloedel Reserve Florist from 1 to 3 p.m. The class is suitable for ages 9 to 14.

Is there a budding florist in your family? Cathy Tyler, the reserve’s florist, will teach children how to prepare clippings as well as the art of flower arranging. Participants will create their own arrangement to bring home.

Wednesday, July 9: Paper making with artist and naturalist Heather Griffin from 9:30 a.m. to noon (ages 6 to 8) and 1:30 to 4 p.m. (ages 9 to 12).

Discover how fun it is to make your own paper, especially when it includes natural materials such as leaves and flower petals. Students will spend some time exploring the reserve and gathering materials, then it’s back to the studio to make some paper. Each student will make at least one sheet of paper to take home.

Thursday, July 10: Bookbinding with artist and naturalist Heather Griffin from 9:30 a.m. to noon (ages 6 to 8) and 1:30 to 4 p.m. (ages 9 to 12).

The first half of the class will be spent making a blank book and the second half will be spent outside, exploring the reserve and filling those books with all kinds of creative expression. Each student will take their book home.

Friday, July 11: Nature Mandalas with artist and naturalist Heather Griffin from 9:30 a.m. to noon (ages 6 to 8) and 1:30 to 4 p.m. (ages 9 to 12).

Create a work of art from natural materials gathered at the Reserve. Students will spend some time exploring and gathering materials such as rocks, sticks, leaves, and grasses. Then, using the ground as their canvas, artists will create mandalas based on the principles of pattern and symmetry. Each student’s finished work will be photographed and emailed home. The mandalas will remain at the reserve where they will be enjoyed and admired by other visitors.

Each class fee is $27 for members and $32 for non-members.

Advance registration is required; visit www.brownpapertickets.com and search “Bloedel Reserve.”

For information, contact Korum Bischoff at kbischoff@bloedelreserve.org, or call 206-842-7631