Nurture Nature Center (NNC) has been working with the Easton Area Community Center, the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Easton, Easton area elementary schools, and local scout troops to develop additional arts-based youth activities within its programming. Through a Crayola community grant, NNC has developed and tested a “Create and Learn” series designed to accompany two of our popular Science on a Sphere® (SOS) programs. “Habitats” and “Finding Coral” creative activities are designed to use the power of visual arts to engage students across teaching disciplines.

“Habitats” art activities take inspiration from botanical prints to celebrate the relationships animals have with the habitats that sustain them. “Finding Coral” uses watercolor techniques to explore shapes, patterns and colors found in corals throughout our oceans. Each activity takes an hour to create.

“This was a perfect blend of learning and creativity,” remarked one educator who recently brought a group of scouts for a Habitats sphere show and accompanying activity.

Over 400 students and their educators will have “tested” the activities, either through docent led lessons or in classroom kits, before May when the program gets added to the roster of available programs for youth visits (ages 5-10 years old). Partnering organizations were given additional materials and feedback was encouraged. A gallery of photographs from this project can be seen here. Additional resource materials will be added to the project page in April.

Click here for the program page.

Additionally, NNC has a themed summer program held Wednesday afternoons to help our youngest visitors connect with the natural world, to foster unique expressions and ideas, and to plant the seeds for lifelong engagement in the arts, community and environment.