By Cindy Wostrel
Staff Reporter
Children can participate in everything
from excavating dinosaurs to constructing
sandcastles or even testing their lung capac
ity at the 1989 Flatwater Childrenfs Festi
val.
Fifteen groups will set up more than 40
activities for children and their “escorted”
parents. In addition, Saturday and Sunday
the Children’s Stage, near 12th and R
streets, will be filled with puppets and fea
ture magic, stories and juggling.
A hands-on activity for children will
■ show them how to recycle paper, said Tim
Johnson, a member of the Citizens for
Environmental Improvement. Volunteers
from the group will instruct children on how
to dip framed screens into a mixture of
shredded, soaked paper and then dry it to
create their own piece of sheet paper. Addi
tives, such as cinnamon and blueberry, will
color the recycled sheets, he said.
Child
Festival
Children will have4 ‘a chance to go to the
beach” in the College of Business Admini
stration’s cast parking lot, recording to
Gregg Smith, secretary of the Lincoln
Chapter of the American Institute of Archi
tects.
As in the past three years, Rcimcrs
Kaufman Concrete Products has donated
four tons of sand to construct the beach,
Smith said. The group will display sand
castles designed by architects and let chil
dren design their own sandcastlcs.
Smith said although Reimers-Kaufman
will unload the sand, the group needs volun
teers to remove sand Sunday night after the
fair.
‘‘We could use anyone to haul sand
Sunday night,” Smith said. ‘‘Anybody who
hauls the sand away can keep it,’’ he added.
The National Federation of the Blind of
Nebraska will demonstrate that “blind
people are as capable and competent as
other people,” said Evelyn Haines, first
vice president of the Lincoln Chapter. Chil
dren will be given braille name tags, which
will allow them to “touch” a part of life as
experienced by the blind.
Children also can enjoy a sampling of
Mexican life at the Omaha Children’s
Museum booth, said Leona Barker, Out
reach coordinator. Youngsters will grind
com which can be used as bird feed. They
will try their hand at papel picado, the Mexi
can version of paper folding/cutting or paint
grocery sacks, simulating the Mexican
amate (bark) painting.
Stepping back into the past is the Ne
braska State Historical Society’s theme.
Hand-operated appliances, including crank
telephones, a clothes wringer and hand cof
fee grinder will be available to youngsters
wanting to touch and operate them.
The museum’s booth also will feature the
zoetrope, an optical toy similar to a kaleido
scope, only larger. The toy originated in the
mid- to late 19th century.
Among the society’s other historical
activities will be a hoop-tossing game
called grace hoops, formerly used to give
girls practice in grace and elegance. Young
sters also can try their “hand” at stilts or
barrel hoops, the art of rolling a hoop along
with a stick.
SNIFFLES, Inc., a non-profit day care
center for sick children, will be coloring
handkerchiefs with markers and folding
nurses caps, said Jutla Stuart, vice president
of SNIFFLES.
Stuart added that parents can register
their children at the booth for the day care
program. In the event of sickness, their
medical records already will be on file.
Admission will be quicker if records are on
file, Stuart explained.
- Both children and adults can try the
' ‘lung-power tester” set up by the Ameri
can Lung Association of Nebraska. Lung
power is measured when participants blow
into a piece of sanitary rubber tubing, which
raises the fluid level of the device. A cartoon
character rises to indicate the measurement.
At the YWCA booth, youngsters will
toss bean bags for prizes of animal combs,
mini-frisbecs, mini-notebooks and sun
glasses, said Susan Baucrsach, public rela
tions director.
Don’t be surprised if the air is filled with
flying fish in the vicinity of the Camp Firc
Pionecr Council booth. Members will in
struct festival-goers in paper fish kite-mak
ing.
Sixth and seventh grade Girl Scouts from
the Homestead Girl Scout Council and
clowns from Lincoln Clown Alley #40 will
paint faces. Design choices range from
flowers to teddy bears, both free-hand and
stencilled.
The Lincoln Literacy Council will assist
children in creating their own books. Book
lets will be provided for them to draw and
write in. Volunteers also will read books to
children who request it
The Lincoln Children’s Museum, ac
cording to Nancy Hall, program director,
wants festival-goers to get “hands-on expe
rience.’’ Staff members will tell youngsters
the secret to making their own Silly Putty,
and glitter and perfume will add an original
touch to the creations. Solar prints also will
be made by exposing photographic paper to
sunlight and then rinsing the paper in water.
Need a resting spot that will still keep
junior’s attention? The Lincoln Community
Playhouse Children’s Theater puppet show
performances (performed by the festival
goers themselves) will provide an entertain
ing resting place for children and adults
alike. Those still on the go can participate in
creative puppet construction.
The fun begins Saturday and Sunday
from noon to S p.m. by the Children's Stage,
near 12th and 4,R“ streets. There may be up
to a 75-cent charge on various children’s
fair activities.
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