As many of you know, Hallmark's Kaleidoscope has been closed since early 2020. Following the pandemic, Hallmark took the time to renovate the space and they have officially reopened their doors as of last week! We were able to grab a reservation for Tuesday afternoon, which is now required and can be made
here, to experience the new layout of this beloved creative space!
We have been visiting Kaleidoscope for years and were able to help them celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2019. For those of you not familiar with Kaleidoscope, it is located in Crown Center just outside the headquarters of Hallmark. Their mission is to provide a creative space for children to "make art with materials from Hallmark’s manufacturing processes. Some are cut into shapes, while others are left just as Hallmark sends them. And Hallmark provides different materials so the projects are ever-changing!" And it's FREE! Each session is 50 minutes in total, which is plenty of time to get your imagination flowing, and to take home a bag full of all the pieces your child, and you, have made. Take a look back at the space in 2019 here.
As soon as we walked through the main entry doors, McKinley immediately said that it smelled just like the old Kaleidoscope, to which the staff working the check in desk were delighted to hear. They agreed that it had the familiar scent of crayons, which are melted down for the black light station that is a fan favorite. But before you get there, you must first enter creative central. You are greeted by the largest magnetic wall I've ever seen! Full of fun shapes and figures, this wall allows you to create as many scenes, creatures, buildings, and anything else you can imagine, simply by rearranging the magnets.
Grab a bag before you start, head to a station for a marker, and write your name so if you lose your items, someone can help you find them. Then, it's time to create! McKinley headed straight for the Hallmark card station. And if you happen to have a reservation this week, make sure you stop and decorate a Father's Day card. McKinley was able to draw inside one for his dad and grandfather! You can doodle with markers, add stickers, and apply a fun cutout design for the envelope. So many options!
Then he was off to the puzzle making station. An oldie but goodie! Heavy matboard squares are the blank canvas to your child's newest puzzle. Draw it out freehand and then fill in with markers to bring the scene to life. Then head over to the puzzle cutter. With the assist of a team member, your puzzle is cut into a fun design. Look closely in the center of your newly cut puzzle and you will find the signature Hallmark crown!
In the freestanding bins full of fun supplies, McKinley found a kaleidoscope. He decided that the plain white exterior needed a little something extra. So, he grabbed a colorful sheet of tissue paper and got to work wrapping the entire thing. He liked how it turned it out. To me, he looks like he's looking through a telescope to see what exactly might be on that paper he found!
Time for black light painting. This station used to be in the back of Kaleidoscope, but they have since moved it to a small space in the back corner of the main work area. The neon colors pop against the black light, giving your creation a whimsical look. Find any fun shape within Kaleidoscope that's white and bring it with you. Watch how melted crayon goes on like paint, but dries in an instant! Super cool, right?
Watercolor time! You can make a darling party hat at the watercolor station. Just grab hat, pickup a brush, and start applying colors all over the place! There were some super cute Mickey Mouse stickers that McKinley wanted to add, so he went with traditional Mickey colors like red and black. Once you've finished painting your masterpiece, place it on the dryer conveyer belt and give it three minutes. Don't want to wait? That's okay. Head on off to your next station and come back later for the hat. It will be waiting for you at the end. McKinley didn't have time to complete his hat so he finished it when we got home. It's the cutest thing ever and pajama time is party time, right?
Lastly, we wondered back to the area where the black light station used to be and found the crown spot! Make your own crown! We were truly running on borrowed time as we had less then five minutes left. After he had placed the crown on his head, McKinley asked me to write "King McKinley" on the front. He wore it for the remainder of the afternoon, taking his title very seriously!
Take a look at some of the other stations throughout Kaleidoscope.
This was a cool interactive video station. Pull the chains to see what happens. Turn the wheel to change the facial expressions. What will you see?
What is this, you ask? A tunnel! Check out the inside...
Another fun creation made by McKinley!
If you've never been to Kaleidoscope, or haven't been in years, it's definitely time make your reservation! Again, it's free, so if you are unable to make the time you booked, just email the team to let them know at the address provided within your confirmation email. You can book another visit at your convenience. It's truly that easy! Worried about older kids having fun? I wouldn't! This 11 year old had a blast! What are you waiting for? Get your creative hat on and get to Kaleidoscope soon!
Get out and create something fun!
XO,
Andrea
