Weekly Gathering
2025-2026

Throw on your costumes and celebrate Halloween together! We will have Halloween games, activities and crafts, including pumpkin carving and decorating. Please bring a snack to share, and bring your own pumpkins if you have them!

Join us for a day of arts and crafts! We will have paper maché, perler beads, a session on perspective drawing, and more. 

Paper maché - Explore the art of paper maché through the process of making a paper maché bowl. 

Perler beads - There will be a plethora of perler beads and lots of forms to choose from to make keepsake items.

Perspective Drawing - Students will learn how to draw a rectangular prism using single point perspective. Then, students will be provided a snapshot of Milwaukee and use perspective drawing to aid in sketching the cityscape. 

Every year we decorate a tree in Cathedral Square for the Milwaukee holiday light show. We will gather to make decorations for the tree. Our theme this year is "Pining for Christmas" and we will make our ornaments out of gathered natural materials such as pine cones, sticks of all shapes and sizes, acorns, nuts, branch slices, rocks and more. 

Sign up to bring supplies here

Grab a friend and your favorite game and get ready to play the day away! We will have a variety of board and card games available, along with several adult instructors who will be teaching particular games at certain times, with signup sheets for kids who want to learn something new. If you're interested in leading a game, please sign up on our sign up sheet. 

Sign up to teach a board game on our Volunteer Spreadsheet

Come sing with us! Microphone stand and amp will be setup. Students choose a YouTube karaoke video they want to sing along to. Search “Circle of Life Karaoke”, for example, to find YouTube videos with lyrics on screen. The video will be projected for students and observers to see as audio plays over a speaker. Encourage each child to bring a song option, even if they don’t muster the courage to sing it. 

In preparation for the Maker's Market, we will host a business planning session for all of our entrepreneurs. Event professional Samantha Thorn will work with participants in the morning ahead of the event. Students signed up for a booth at the market should bring along all of their booth materials for booth set-up afterwards, but this session is also appropriate for non-participating students who are interested in entrepreneurship, sales and business. We will wrap up around 1pm in order to leave time to prepare for the market which begins at 3pm. Participating students should make sure to bring a lunch to eat in between the business planning session and set-up time.

10am-1pm Business planning In this hands-on session, students will learn the basics of running their own booth at our Makers Market! We’ll cover how to design an eye-catching table display, greet customers with confidence, and handle money—including making change. Students will also discuss pricing their items for profit, creating clear signage, and keeping their tables organized. Along the way, we’ll talk about customer service, teamwork, and the joy of sharing handmade creations with the community. This class encourages creativity, responsibility, and entrepreneurial thinking—all while getting ready for the big event!

Class Plan: Preparing for the Maker's Market

Goal: Teach kids the basics of being a vendor — presentation, communication, money skills, and customer service — while boosting confidence and excitement for the market.

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Session 1: Introduction to Being a Vendor

Discussion: What is a makers market? Why do people go? What makes a booth inviting? (examples/pictures)

Activity: Kids draw a sketch of what their booth/table could look like.

Tips to Teach: Smiling and saying hello is powerful. Being prepared helps you feel confident. First impressions matter!

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Session 2: Table Displays + Signage

Discussion: How to display items at different heights. Why neatness and organization help customers. The importance of clear signage (name, prices, product info).

Activity: Kids practice by making “signs" for their products. 

Extra Pointers: Use baskets, boxes, or props from home to add height. Bright tablecloth = big difference. Labels should be easy to read, not tiny.

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Session 3: Pricing + Handling Money

Discussion: What does it mean to make a profit? (simple explanation for different ages). Why pricing too high or too low can cause problems. Importance of having change + simple pricing (ex: whole dollars, $5 increments).

Activity: Practice pricing items with pretend scenarios (materials cost $1, what should you charge?). Play “customer + vendor” role play to practice taking money, giving change, and saying thank you.

Extra Pointers: Round numbers are easiest. A small cash box or apron is helpful. Always double-check change before handing it back.

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Session 4: Customer Service + Confidence

Discussion: How to greet customers (“Hi! Thanks for stopping by!”). How to answer questions (if you don’t know, say “That’s a great question!”). What to do if someone doesn’t buy (smile anyway).

Activity: Role-play: one student is the customer, the other is the vendor. Practice greetings, answering questions, wrapping up sales.

Wrap-Up: Time to take all we've learned and apply it to our set up for the market! 

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Extra Teaching Pointers

Responsibility: Keep your area tidy and restock when things sell.

Preparedness: Bring water, a snack, and maybe a helper for breaks.

Marketing basics: A smile, a friendly hello, and eye contact are more valuable than fancy decorations.

Gratitude: Always say thank you, whether or not someone buys.

Problem-solving: What if something breaks? What if you forget change? Talk through “what ifs.”

Confidence: Every maker’s work is unique—there’s no “wrong” booth.

1-2:45pm Maker's Market Set up Students can eat lunch, take a break and then get started setting up their display tables for the market. During this time, students can visit each others' tables to see what everyone else is making ahead of time so that once the market begins, they can attend to their own tables. Please arrive with table set-up materials no later than 2:30pm so we are set up and ready for customers at 3!

3-5pm Maker's Market Family, friends and the homeschool community will arrive to shop the market. Students are responsible for maintaining their tables and managing sales. 

Sign up for the Maker's Market here!

It's time to celebrate the winter holidays together with your friends! We will have holiday music, treats, games and activities available throughout the day, as well as our annual holiday cookie exchange! 

Families are encouraged to bring a snack, appetizer or other food items to share for the party. 

We will have sugar cookies, frosting and toppings for kids to decorate their own cookies. There will also be stations for making holiday ornaments, snowflakes, decorations, and cards. 

For the Cookie Exchange: Please prepare a double batch of your favorite holiday cookie, bar or treat and bring to the party. Make sure to bring along a to-go container. Every family will have the chance to bring home a few treats of each type, for a thoroughly diverse holiday cookie platter!

Let's ring in the New Year (a little early)! We will have New Year's themed activities, crafts, snacks and party atmosphere, along with a countdown to 12 o'clock (at noon). Bring a snack to share! 

Part 1: Classic Line Dancing with Dan - Come join us for some classic wedding line dances. We will start with some very basic dances such as The Chicken Dance, Hokey Pokey, and Macarena. We will transition into guided line dances such as Cha Cha Slide and Cupid Shuffle. We will finish with a few more challenging dances such as The Electric Slide and Night Fever as time and participation permits. 

Part 2: Urban Line Dancing with Amber - Next up is a fun and energetic introduction to urban line dancing! Urban line dancing is a modern twist on traditional line dance—set to upbeat R&B, hip-hop, and soul music. In this class, we'll learn easy, beginner-friendly steps while building rhythm, coordination and confidence. No experience needed—just bring your energy and get ready to move together!

Time to burn off that winter restlessness with some indoor playground games! We will play a variety of camp/gym class style indoor games such as red light, green light, musical chairs, Assassin, Sharks and minnows, Simon Says, Heads Up Seven Up, Charades. In addition to organized group games, there will be opportunities for jumping rope/double dutch, relay races, obstacle courses, hand clapping games and more.

In this active and engaging class, students will build a foundation in stretching, strength, and beginner tumbling skills. We’ll start with proper stretching techniques—learning their names and why warming up is so important- before moving into fun tumbling progressions. Students will practice forward and backward rolls (and variations), the steps to a proper handstand, and work toward cartwheels and round-offs. Class will finish with light strength and conditioning to support the skills we are learning and to promote safe movement.

This class is open to all abilities. Younger children may need a parent’s assistance for certain movements. Students will leave class not only stronger and more flexible, but also with an understanding of how stretching, conditioning, and practice help them achieve new skills with confidence!

Advance signup and payment required for this Lego robotics class run by Scott Shelnutt of Tosa STEAM Academy. Using Legos for construction and tablets for coding, students will work in teams to design a device to reduce the impacts on humans, animals and the environment after an area has been damaged by a weather-related hazard. 

Open to participants ages 5-18 

Cost: $5 per participant

Sign up here 

Session slots will last 1 hour. There will be plenty of Legos, Duplos and more for children to explore and play with throughout the rest of the day before and after their sessions, and for non-participating siblings. 

Multiple tables will be organized with one large jigsaw puzzle per table for groups to work on together. Some floor puzzles will also be available for the toddlers and early puzzlers. 

We will also have a designated table for puzzle exchange. Please bring any puzzles your family is done with and choose from available puzzles to bring home and try something new!

Celebrate Valentine's day with a Valentine exchange! Every child is welcome to make or buy individual Valentines to exchange with friends. Please also bring along a shoe box! We will have a box-decorating station so everyone can make their own Valentine receptacles. Valentine exchange will take place at 12pm. 

We will also have music, crafts, activities, snacks and cookie/cupcake decorating. Please bring a snack to share!

This programming series will be geared to students with no programming experience although students with all levels of experience are welcome. Week 1 participation is required to be up to speed for week 2 challenges. Students will be guided through challenges to introduce basic features of Scratch and encourage creatively thinking through solutions to these new problems. 

**MATERIALS REQUIRED** Each participant will need to bring a LAPTOP TO PARTICIPATE. Scratch was built to be used on computers. Download instructions are linked in the Sign-up form. 

Timing

10:15-11:15 The morning session will go slower than the afternoon as I am trying to provide an extra slow pace for young learners who may not yet be speedy using a trackpad to move things around on the screen. Less time will be allotted at the end for creation of one's own program. 

12:15-1:15 The afternoon session will move at a faster pace for those learners who need less basic computer support and may get impatient with a slower and extremely guided pace of the morning session.

Participants

There is no age restriction, but all participants should be able to read basic words (as all programming blocks use text to communicate) or have a 1-on-1 reading partner who is there to aid them in reading.

Cost

There is no cost associated with this series.

Please register all participants using this Google Form.
Please reach out to daneronson@gmail.com with any questions regarding this series of classes. 

This programming series will be geared to students with no programming experience although students with all levels of experience are welcome. Week 1 participation is required to be up to speed for week 2 challenges. Students will be guided through challenges to introduce basic features of Scratch and encourage creatively thinking through solutions to these new problems. 

**MATERIALS REQUIRED** Each participant will need to bring a LAPTOP TO PARTICIPATE. Scratch was built to be used on computers. Download instructions are linked in the Sign-up form. 

Timing

10:15-11:15 The morning session will go slower than the afternoon as I am trying to provide an extra slow pace for young learners who may not yet be speedy using a trackpad to move things around on the screen. Less time will be allotted at the end for creation of one's own program. 

12:15-1:15 The afternoon session will move at a faster pace for those learners who need less basic computer support and may get impatient with a slower and extremely guided pace of the morning session.

Participants

There is no age restriction, but all participants should be able to read basic words (as all programming blocks use text to communicate) or have a 1-on-1 reading partner who is there to aid them in reading.

Cost

There is no cost associated with this series.

Please register all participants using this Google Form.
Please reach out to daneronson@gmail.com with any questions regarding this series of classes. 

We will have stations for constructing paper airplanes, folding origami, domino structures, and building hot wheels tracks. Please bring any appropriate materials you have to share!

Save up your cardboard boxes for our cardboard village construction day! Kids can work on their own or together in groups to construct individual buildings and city elements to put together into a large village. Sample suggestions: homes, shops, bank, school, post office, museum, park, roads, businesses, vehicles, etc. 

We will have cardboard boxes, cardboard cutting tools, tape, scissors, staples and other materials. Please bring any materials you have to assist!

We will also have a few other stations with other adjacent activities, including whittling/woodworking and clay. 

Explore the topography of the United States in this geography-focused activity day! Participants will use play-doh, paint and wooden state models to physically illustrate the topography of each state in the U.S.A. 

We will also have additional geography games, puzzles and activities available.

Advance signup and payment required for this Lego robotics class run by Scott Shelnutt of Tosa STEAM Academy. Using Legos for construction and tablets for coding, students will work in teams to investigate the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the movement of an object.

Open to participants ages 5-18 

Cost: $5 per participant

Sign up here 

Session slots will last 1 hour. There will be plenty of Legos, Duplos and more for children to explore and play with throughout the rest of the day before and after their sessions, and for non-participating siblings. 

Join us for a day of project-based handcrafts! There will be some yarn, knitting needles and crochet hooks available, but please bring your own if you have them!

Already know the basics of knitting? Learn how to knit a mobius strip headband!

Familiar with simple crocheting? We will practice using magic ring and circular crochet techniques before making either a donut or a small basket. 

Ready for more? Crochet a hyperbolic plane!

New to handcrafts? Work with one of our basics instructors on twizzling, finger knitting, how to cast on in knitting or making a chain in crochet. 

10am-1pm Music fun for everyone! Get your hands drumming with Wisconsin Conservatory of Music faculty member and homeschool mama, Leah Kozelek! We will explore the world of rhythm on the DRUMS! Get your beat on and we’ll see you there! 

1pm Listen to and learn about the violin with instructor Abigail Peterson

1:45 Instrument Petting Zoo - enjoy hands-on exploration of both orchestra and band instruments with Brass Bell Music 

Pick your country and start digging in to prepare for our World Geography fair! Each family will choose a country and take a deep dive into its history, features and culture. Families will prepare a table display with factual information about their country, sharing details about its geography, language, food, dress, weather, landmarks, cities, currency, flag, government, holidays, customs, famous people and more. Displays can feature sample items from your country, photos, maps, audio/visual and written information. Each table should have an interactive element such as a craft, activity, trivia quiz, etc. and if possible, a food item from the country for sampling. 

On the day of the fair, families will arrive to set up their tables. There should always be someone hosting each table, prepared to share what they've learned and answer questions as participants take turns visiting other tables and learning about their countries. 

All participants will receive a passport folder that can be "stamped" at each station as they travel around the world.

Sign up for your country here!

Come join us for another STEM inquiry. We will be exploring the concept of gravity in this inquiry, centered around the phenomenon of a helium filled balloon floating in front of participants.

Please do not encourage pre-study of helium or gravity for this inquiry as modeling one’s preconceptions are a very critical step in the development of a more complete model.

No materials needed or costs associated with this session. This session will require reading. Please only sign up participants who can read an early-reader book on their own. I will provide varied levels of non-fiction books for students to use to refine their models after we participants document and discuss preconceptions.

Lastly, please use this Google form to sign up your kiddos so I know how many to expect. 

This day is reserved to reschedule programming that was cancelled due to weather