Kaleidoscope Inspires Creativity in New Ways
For the first time since opening in 1969, Kaleidoscope, a center for artistic exploration and creativity for children, temporarily closed in response to the pandemic. Undeterred by the temporary closure, the Kaleidoscope team got to work to reimagine what the experience could look like virtually. Kaleidoscope is a gift to the community from Hallmark, so the team was passionate about finding ways to stay connected to families and inspire creativity.
The team launched Kaleidoscope at Home, a series of specially selected, kid-friendly projects created by Hallmarkers. Kaleidoscope shared these projects with hundreds of families via email every week to encourage creativity in their own homes.
Kaleidoscope also developed art sacks for families and teachers. Through the Kaleidoscope Carryout program, teachers could request art sacks for their students and families could stop by Crown Center Customer Service to pick them up for their children. The sacks were filled with fun materials to be used for art. Just like at Kaleidoscope, many of the materials in the sack are recycled from Hallmark’s manufacturing facilities in Lawrence and Leavenworth, Kansas. The art sacks were also available to Hallmark employees at Hallmark headquarters and nearby production plants.
“We are proud of how our team worked with other Hallmarkers to find new ways to connect with families and enrich children through genuine and creative experiences,” said Linda Avery, Kaleidoscope’s manager. “Whether it’s done at Kaleidoscope or at home, we believe in inspiring creativity through self-exploration and motivating children to use their imagination, make choices and develop cognitive skills.”
In total, Kaleidoscope provided more than 20,000 sacks to educators, 2,000 to families at Crown Center and more than 2,600 to Hallmark employees in 2020.♦