Kidzfest to combine summer fun and learning

Activities for children of all ages will be featured at the Lewis University Mini-Campus during Kidzfest 2012, a free family festival for children to play, explore, imagine and create. Kidzfest will be held from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4 in downtown Joliet.

Lewis University will participate along with other organizations including the Joliet Public Library, Joliet Park District, Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet Area Historical Museum, Rialto Square Theatre, Brookfield Zoo, Haunted Trails, Will County Land Use, Gallery 7, St. Joseph Academy, Joliet Slammers, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and more.

Each child can receive a certificate as he/she enters the Lewis University Kidzfest Mini-Campus across from the Rialto Square Theatre. The children earn marks on the certificate for each activity that they attend. Those who earn four marks on the certificate will earn an “aviator wings pin.”

Entertaining and educational experiences at Lewis exhibits include opportunities to:

• Sit in a small airplane. Parents may have a free digital photo taken of each child in the plane, courtesy of Lewis University.
• Test your skills on a Microsoft Flight Simulator game (for children in elementary or middle school), with direction from Flight students.
• Get free photo IDs taken by students in the Criminal/Social Justice program.
• See robots provided by the Computer Science department.
• Become a scientist through chemistry and biology experiments. Fun includes concoctions that experiment with everyday materials!
• See yourself on television by visiting an electronic media van and see how a news program is created by the Communications department.
• Watch Lewis art students work on a painting. Kids also can draw their own artwork on a banner at this Kidzfest booth!
• See a mastodon tooth and other small fossils and minerals and talk to a geologist.
• Get blood pressures and pulse screenings for children and adults from the College of Nursing and Health Professions. Also, adults can undergo blood sugar testing and receive information on hypertension and diabetes awareness. Several wellness games will focus on nutrition, hand washing, exercise and smoking habits. A coloring book, "Be A Nurse,” also will be available in limited numbers.
• Enjoy student performers from the Lewis Philip Lynch Theatre presenting songs at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at the outdoor stage.
• Learn a lesson in finances from the College of Business.
• Choose from designs and get a new look at the Face Painting booth.
• Enjoy stories, including books by Dr. Seuss, read by future teachers attending the College of Education.
• Improve athletic skills with tips from student athletes on sports including men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball and golf. Free temporary tattoos of the Lewis Flyers mascot also will be available.
• Go back in history to guess who famous people are at the History booth.
• Try on ROTC gear and equipment. Test your physical abilities and explore a Humvee.

Brother James Gaffney, FSC, President of Lewis University, stated: “Kidzfest demonstrates the Lewis University mission to promote life-long learning by encouraging children to take advantage of various learning opportunities, to ask questions, to set goals, and to interest them in different fields. Moreover, the educational activities offered at Kidzfest are fun for the youngsters.”

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 6,500 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.