Yasmeen Kamrani Sallam

This week, we read How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace — a fun, heartwarming story about a brave young ninja who decides to face the monster hiding in his closet. What begins as a tale of fear transforms into one of courage and discovery, reminding us all that things aren’t always as scary as they seem. To extend this story beyond the pages, we invited the children to design their very own monsters using play-dough and loose parts. Our tinker trays were filled with an array of creative...

Every year, my son’s elementary school puts on the most epic fundraiser — Creepy Hollow. This beloved event transforms the campus into a Halloween wonderland filled with games, a haunted house, a cake walk, bake sale, face painting, inflatables, raffles, and so much more! It’s an incredible community effort that not only raises funds for our public school programs but also creates lasting memories for students and families. This year, I was thrilled to join the planning team alongside an...

It’s that spooktacular time of year again when we bring out one of our favorite annual traditions a Haunted Mansion made out of cardboard! Set up near our Outdoor Interactive Painting Gallery & Art Studio, this collaborative creation invites our little architects to dive into a world of imagination, creativity, and exploration. One of the most magical things about cardboard and process art is that  anything  can become a canvas. Cardboard’s versatility — with its many sizes, textures, and...