Visit Windmill Island Gardens this Monday for another installment of the Books and Blooms children’s series! Our friends from the Outdoor Discovery Center will host this week’s Books and Blooms activity on Monday, June 30. Each Books and Blooms will begin with a Story Time hosted by the Herrick District Library at 10:00 am, followed by a fun, educational, and hands-on activity at 10:30 am. During the
Books and Blooms series, children can not only enjoy interactive stories, songs, and activities, but also enjoy our children’s carousel, playground, and see our chickens all on Windmill Island Gardens’ Park grounds.
This Monday during Books and Blooms, join the staff from the Outdoor Discovery Center at Windmill Island Gardens as they provide a variety of hands-on activities all about water quality and native plants! See live aquatic insects, make crafts, play games, and learn more about how water quality impacts native plants.
The ODC network is a nonprofit organization that has been promoting outdoor learning and conservation in West Michigan since 2000. They have pioneered outdoor education by changing where learning happens and provides nature-based education for all ages. The ODC Network protects natural ecosystems and has conserved thousands of acres of habitat through restoration and preservation projects. Their nature preserves are free and open all year round!
Families are invited to Windmill Island Gardens every Monday morning for our weekly Books and Blooms series from 10:00 am – 11:30 am through August 11. This weekly Books and Blooms series will begin with an interactive Story Time hosted by the Herrick District Library starting at 10:00 am, followed by a come-and-go style activity led by a local non-profit organization from 10:30 am until 11:30 am. The full schedule of activities can be found below, and on the Books and Blooms Facebook event page. Activities are free to attend for all; just mention you are there for the series at the admission booth. A parent or guardian must remain onsite the entire time to supervise their children. Activities take place in the park on the East side of the Posthouse building at Windmill Island Gardens (1 Lincoln Ave, Holland, MI, 49423).
For more details on Books and Blooms and other upcoming events at Windmill Island Gardens, visit www.windmillisland.com. Windmill Island Gardens is open daily from 9:30am – 6:00pm (last admission sold at 5:00pm) through October 5.
Upcoming Books & Blooms Dates
July 7
Story Garden Collage
The Bluestocking Bookshop
Kids will use pages from gently damaged books and colorful scrap paper to collage their own garden themed masterpiece creating flowers, butterflies, clouds, and more! Using recycled damaged book pages and paper scraps, kids can use their creativity to repurpose a variety of paper materials.
July 14
Grow a Garden Bookmark
Ready for School
Kids create a flower-themed bookmark using stickers, stamps, and coloring tools. Include flower facts or fun gardening jokes on a pre-printed template on the reverse side.
July 21
Yard Games & Planting Activity
Holland Recreation
Get moving with Holland Recreation! Enjoy a variety of fun yard games fun for all ages and even decorate your own planter to fill with soil and seeds to take home and watch grow!
July 28
Wacky Wind
Discover the power of wind with the Holland Museum! Join museum staff for an exciting hands-on STEAM activity exploring wind energy and air resistance. Build your own wind-powered windmill to see how wind can generate motion. Then, experiment with air resistance by designing and launching your very own balloon-powered rocket. Engage in interactive learning and unleash your creativity in this fun and educational experience for all ages!
August 4
Flower Suncatchers
Explore Hope
The team from Explore Hope will teach kids how to craft flower suncatchers out of leaves and flower petals you can find around outside!
August 11
Pollinator Water Station
MSU Extension
Even pollinators need water to survive, especially in the heat of summer! Join our friends from the Michigan State University Extension to create a water source with enough water to outlast a sunny day and enough dry surface from which insects can safely drink and learn about why pollinators are essential to the survival and success of our gardens.
August 17
Water Safety Session
Aqua-Tots
Join Aqua-Tots staff for the final Books and Blooms Pajama Party where they will have fun water themed activities, interactive games, and teach children how to be confident around water with swimming safety tips!
