Every Sunday, for the past decade, the Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter has been introducing kids — and parents — to crafts made out of natural materials or items most people might simply toss into the recycle bin. The free craft sessions run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Naturalist Room.
Though Sunday Craft is a drop-in program, it’s not a drop-off program: Parents must accompany kids.
Each week, staff provides a model and instructions for creating a specific craft and then lets kids run wild with their imagination. Crafts are designed to take about 10-15 minutes to complete, and afterward, kids and parents can hang out and play in the Naturalist Room with interactive toys, page through books or visit the back deck and observation tower.
For the upcoming Valentine’s Day, kids will design a “lovebug” with recycled egg cartoons.
“The kiddos love to be creative. Even though we might have an idea of what we might want it to look like, we want kiddos to have the idea and tap into their creativity using these upcycled items,” said Bri Cencak, Swaner’s visitor experience coordinator.
The crafts, aimed at kids ages 3 older — to about fifth grade — tend to revolve around seasons, holidays or what’s been happening at the preserve.
For example, last December, kids fashioned elk out of cardboard toilet paper holders, since a big herd of elk had visited the preserve. Right before New Year’s Eve, they made party poppers out of upcycled toilet paper components. In January, they presented crafts revolving around butterflies to tie in with Swaner’s interactive butterfly exhibit. About two weeks ago, participants colored in stenciled tracks of various animals found on the preserve, while older kids also jotted down a few characteristics of the animals.
Sometimes, staff lays out books about specific topics or tells brief stories, so informal conversations emerge, but they don’t include a formal, educational component, Cencak said. They do inform volunteers about why they’ve chosen a specific craft, so the helpers can convey various ideas or facts. But, overall, it’s all about fun and expression.
According to the center, parents have appreciated the crafting sessions because it inspires ideas of how to keep their kids’ creativity going at home with everyday items.
For more information about Swaner Preserve’s upcycled craft day, visit extension.usu.edu/swaner/calendar?trumbaEmbed=view%3Devent%26eventid%3D178971097.
Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter Sunday Craft
- When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday (drop in any time)
- Where: Swaner EcoCenter
- Cost: Free