By Kristina Wilder

Rome News-Tribune

Entertainment Editor

KWilder@RN-T.com / 290-5262

Are the children feeling creative? Are you running out of paper, or (uh-oh) wall space?

Well, here comes the solution in the shape of two traveling trailers filled to the brim with paper, ribbon, crayons and bright, shiny, sparkly, fluffy stuff.

The Kaleidoscope from Hallmark, co-sponsored by the Junior Service League of Rome, will make a stop in Rome Dec. 2 –18 at Mount Berry Square.

Kaleidoscope, a public service of Hallmark, is a unique creative experience for children. The permanent exhibit is located at the Hallmark headquarters at Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo. The traveling exhibit is designed to stimulate children’s imaginations and to provide them with an opportunity for creative, personal expression through art.

Step into the traveling Kaleidscope and you’re likely to see some familiar materials. That’s because Hallmark donates nearly a ton of scrap art supplies for each site on Kaleidoscope’s annual tour.

In addition, surplus greeting card paper is die-cut to create the star nealaces, visors, airplanes and other art projects for Kaleidoscope. Scraps of colored paper may be remnants of Hallmark notepads and other stationary products.

“Kaleidoscope gives children the opportunity to express themselves creatively using all sorts of fun materials,” say Regi Ahrens, Kaleidoscope administrator. “The fact that we are making productive use of scrap material is an added benefit. It’s great to know that Kaleidoscope is both good for children and good for the enviroment.”

Kaleidoscope provides markers in several varieties made by Hallmark subsidiary, Binney & Smith, maker of Crayola brand products.

Weekday sessions are reserved for elementary school groups. On weekends only, Dec. 7 – 8 and 14 –15, Kaleidoscope will be open to all ages from noon to 4 p.m. and it is free.

Dads, moms, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends will be invited to enjoy creating alongside their children during these special Family Creation Celebration weekends. Volunteers will be there to assist. Just look for the purple pavilion at Mount Berry Square Mall.

Kaleidoscope, a creative art program for children, was conceived and created 31 years ago as a public service at the suggestion of Donald J. Hall, chairman of the board of Hallmark Cards. Hall envisioned a place where children could experience the joy that comes from creating.

To date, four million children have enjoyed the traveling Kaleidoscope experience where they are free to explore and where color, design, texture and sound encourage personal discovery and the possibilities of their imagination.

Since 1981, traveling Kaleidoscope has toured the country in a portable, self-contained building. Two colorful trailers — each 45 feet long and 8 feet wide — unfold to create a 2,000 square foot facility that can accommodate 100 children per session hour.

Throughout the years, Kaleidoscope has remained a fun and simple balance of discovering and creating art.

Kaleidoscope’s approach to creativity is non-judgmental. There is no wrong way to do art at Kaleidoscope, so children are free to create without fear of criticism or failure