Families count down the new year
Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center holds annual events for kids
LAKE STATION — New Year’s Eve celebrations aren’t just for adults.
More than 100 families participated Wednesday in the annual Bellabration: A Royal Ball & Family Celebration at Bellaboo’s Play and Discovery Center.
“So many celebrations at this time of the year are for the adults, and we wanted to bring this type of fun to the kids and their families, also,” said Janet Tipold, one of the Bellaboo’s managers. “This (day event) is at a reasonable hour and it’s a safe place to come. We focus on fun, play and cleanliness.”
Geared toward children 9 and under, the Bellabration began in 2009 when the center first opened.
Items on the day’s agenda included storytelling, game playing, concocting a bubbly drink for a “toast,” a countdown/ balloon drop and a craft session to make noisemakers.
Sisters Kelly Goodpaster and Nichole Lopez were planning on bringing their four children to Bellaboo’s for a morning of fun, unaware that the New Year’s celebration was scheduled.
“We lucked out, the kids are loving this,” Goodpaster said, as the children looked over the morning’s agenda. “We had no idea this was going on. So many things to do. It’s great!”
After a reading of “King Jack & The Dragon,” children lined up near the kitchen area to make a celebratory beverage.
“It looks real yummy,” said Kyle Miller, 7, of Schererville, as he mixed vanilla ice cream into a blue liquid. “I usually don’t like to cook, but this is fun.”
Fashioning noisemakers, an indoor parade and unique balloon drop rounded out the day.
The colorful balloons were released at a very slow pace, allowing the children to bat them back and forth.
“I never thought we would be able to play with the balloons,” laughed Jessica Larimer, 8, of Merrillville, as she and her friends tossed them back and forth. “I thought they would drop and that would be it.”