On Sunday, families filled the Children’s Museum in Frederiksted on St. Croix to celebrate Kidsville, a festive event bringing holiday traditions from around the world to life.
Now in its fifth year, the event was organized by West Gyul in partnership with the Children’s Museum, inviting the community for a day of fun. With the theme “Traditions Around the World,” the event highlighted cultures from across the globe and offered interactive activities for children of all ages. Children received passports to be stamped at each booth and a ticket for a free lunch.
Visitors explored a variety of stations, including making “snow” from ice, salt, and clay, learning about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, celebrating Buddhism, and discovering the Three Kings. At the West Gyul booth, children received passports to track the activities they completed, then enjoyed snacks and burned off energy on obstacle courses.
“This year’s event is really special,” said West Gyul, who partnered with the museum for Kidsville. “The Children’s Museum finally has a permanent home after years as a pop-up, and we wanted to create something fun and educational for kids of all ages.”
The museum now features a light room, a dinosaur-building station, a construction area, and a crawler room, ensuring there’s something for every child.
Organizers also teamed up with the Butterfly Effect nonprofit and longtime downtown Christmas organizer Bianca Francis, blending years of experience to make the event seamless and engaging. This year marked the first event hosted under Francis’s nonprofit.
“It’s amazing to host the first event under the Butterfly Effect,” said Francis. “This is actually our 11th year doing the toy giveaway, but our first under the nonprofit. It’s a humbling experience, and I’m very grateful to be partnering with the Children’s Museum and West Gyul.”
Francis explained the activities planned for the day: “We have the toy distribution, which includes toys collected from community members and local businesses. We also have pictures with Santa, with professional photos taken by our longtime volunteer Elizabeth Galvan Ortiz, which families can view online. Our volunteers will run a trivia table, and we’re giving out cupcakes donated by Jennifer Avila with cute butterfly logos, as well as cookies donated by Adawah Grant. We also have a Play-Doh station where kids can make Christmas ornaments, trees, or anything festive, and they can win some amazing prizes.”
Other participants at Kidsville included the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, the National Guard, Island Therapy Solutions, Guardians of Culture Moko Jumbies, JG Management LLC, Tropical Behavioral Services, and many more.
The early schedule allowed families to attend at convenient times, accommodating nap schedules and creating a stress-free environment for parents and children alike.
With activities, food, and plenty of holiday cheer, Kidsville at the Children’s Museum proved to be a hit, offering the community a chance to explore, learn, and celebrate the season together.
