The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Kids build toys and Farmpark traditions
On a snowy Saturday outside, it began “snowing” inside too when Santa visited a toy workshop Dec. 23 at Lake Metroparks Farmpark in Kirtland.
The indoor snow made with Mr. Bubble marked Santa’s entrance into the workshop where he signed wooden toys kids made with the help of elves also known as Farmpark employees.
The toy workshop has been a popular tradition for many Lake County families since it began in 1990.
Farmpark interpreter Marrelle LeMaster grew up with the workshop. Her father helped start the program and now she’s worked as a builder for the past eight years. She said they’ve kept the same
principles for the past 27 years, but try to update the toy options each year. This year’s new toy was Peppa Pig, which is proving to be a popular addition.
At the workshop, children choose one of 55 toy options and then work with an elf to help build it.
After it’s built they paint and decorate their new toy with glitter — lots and lots of glitter, outdoor education manager Dominic Catanese said. About 128 bottles worth goes along with 96 gallons of paint.
Since the program began in 1990, about 194,500 toys have been made. This year they’re closing in on 13,000 for the season and Catanese said he expects them to finish right around the record set in 2015 of 13,839.
“It’s a unique experience and tradition,” Catanese said.
The Farmpark begins cutting the wood in February and they’re still cutting pieces now, LeMaster said.
Some of the toy choices are always popular, like Christmas trees and rocking horses. Trains, cupcakes and Darth Vader are other popular choices this year.
Outdoor Education Specialist Marie Kozan has worked as in elf in the
Since the program began in 1990, about 194,500 toys have been made. This year they’re closing in on 13,000 for the season.
workshop for about 20 years. She sees some parents start taking their kids to make toys when they’re just a year old and continue the tradition year after year. Parents save the toys and bring them out each year at Christmas time.
The weekend workshop begins after Thanksgiving and runs through Dec. 31. The cost is $2 per toy.
December 23 was a busy day for Santa. In addition to the stop in the workshop, he arrived at a breakfast/lunch at the Farmpark.
Kids also visited in him in the theater and told him what they wanted for Christmas.
According to Santa, popular requests included the Nintendo Switch, Hatchimals, Paw Patrol toys, Peppa Pig toys and Legos—especially Batman and Star Wars.
Requests ran the whole gamut, he said, from ukuleles to hoverboards.