A plate made using impressions from leaves.

A partnership between two local groups is giving youth hands-on opportunities to engage with the natural world through educational and creative programs.

Ilwaco Artworks and the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge are bringing four, no-charge “clay play” sessions this winter to get kids in the studio working with their hands while learning about nature in southwest Washington.

“The more and more people are in touch with screens and increasing demands, the more beneficial and therapeutic it can be for adults and children alike to make something out of clay,” said Thandi Rosenbaum, the founder of Sou’wester Arts.

Sou’wester Arts, a nonprofit, includes the clay studio, which opened last year. Since then, Rosenbaum said, they’ve been looking for ways to make the studio more accessible.

Clay is a tactile way for kids to learn and making art is great for children’s development, she said. The upcoming sessions integrate coastal ecology into the students’ projects. They’re open to children in kindergarten through third grade.

The first class is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday. In it, kids will be instructed on making ceramic winter decorations using leaf impressions from local vegetation. Glazing and firing the ceramic pieces are included, too.

The clay plays align with the coast’s seasonal wildlife patterns, Hope Presley, visitor services specialist with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service said. Presley is based at the Willapa refuge.

For example, elk are usually seen on the coast going into winter, so it made sense to do an elk-focused project in January.

Staff from the refuge will be at each session, along with Chloe Maglio, a local artist and Montessori preschool teacher, who will guide the classes and curriculum. While students make their leaf impressions, they’ll get instruction on plant variations, like deciduous versus coniferous trees.

“We’re tying it as much as we can to the season and what is actually happening the refuge,” Presley said, adding it’s a way to connect kids at a young age to the Willapa refuge and their natural surroundings.

The clay plays are part of the studio’s new youth program, which encompasses more hands-on educational experiences. The program is grant-funded by the Dylan Jude Harrell Foundation, a local nonprofit that supports developmental opportunities for kids.

In addition to the clay plays, the refuge and Ilwaco Artworks hosted summer camps with grant money to get kids out to Willapa’s trails this summer.

Students spent a day outdoors, hiking and learning about local plants and birds. Then they took what they learned to the studio and created art projects based on that material, Presley explained.

“The peninsula, and coast as a whole, have a very strong art community and this is a great way to introduce kids to art,” Presley said.

Rosenbaum said there’s been a high demand for the clay plays. Rosenbaum said they’re hoping to run more summer camps and youth clay plays in conjunction with the refuge.

Parents and siblings are invited to accompany their kids — which gives the chance for parents to work alongside their young ones in a studio setting, Rosenbaum said.

The clay plays are free, but there is a sliding-scale registration fee. Visit www.ilwacoartworks.org to register.

Class schedule

Class schedule

All start at 10 a.m.

Nov. 23: Leaf impression winter decorations

Dec. 28: Nocturnal animals night lights

Jan. 25: Elk and deer antlers

Feb. 22: Birdbaths for local waterfowl