New Pioneers was delighted to partner with The Craft Box, a local art studio in Springfield, to offer a Parents Night Out this November! This unique opportunity brought local youth together for a night of fun, fall crafting, and connecting with nature, while parents enjoyed a kid-free afternoon for date night, errands, or more.

We started the night getting to know our crafters through coloring and exploring in The Craft Box's play area. Then, students got to participate and learn about our first craft: Bats! This included an interactive game of Fact or Fiction, giving students insight into bats' lives, habits, and ecosystems, and a bat craft, made with sticks and leaves from local areas.

Next, our crafters enjoyed dinner and snacks, then dove into our next craft! During this time, students painted their very own pies, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, onto compostable plates. Along with their pie, students also named reasons they are thankful for nature on their craft.

Towards the end of the evening, students participated in making "leaf bugs" and learning where our bug friends might disappear off to this winter. Each of these crafts and activities offered students the chance to embrace their inner artist while also deepening their understanding and connection to nature!

We are extremely grateful to The Craft Box for their partnership on this lovely program! We hope our crafters enjoyed their activities and that parents enjoyed a relaxing, kid-free night.

To view more photos from this program, click here or on the collage above.