Port Jefferson museum helps kids turn nature into holiday keepsakes

Nature was dressed up for the holiday and given some sparkle Saturday as children created their own special decorations at the Maritime Explorium in Port Jefferson.

Kids between the ages of 2 and 10 were given the opportunity to transform ordinary acorns, thistles, leaves and pine needles into festive, eye-catching art.

"It's all the child's interpretation," said Carole VanDuyn, an educator at the East Broadway interactive museum for youngsters. "It's amazing what their imaginations and their visions are."

The daylong event, first held about five years ago, has become a popular annual tradition, she said.

Wayne Rogers, 67, of Port Jefferson, wound up with more glitter and glue on his hands than his 4-year-old granddaughter, Avery. She had just finished making two very blinged-out pine cones.

"We'll put them on a Christmas tree at Daddy's house," Rogers told her.

Ando Vandervelden's 7-year-old daughter, Clover, may have drawn inspiration from her sparkly black holiday sweater as she worked on her creations.

Afterward she was proud of her glittering red, gold, silver and green leaves, thistles and pine cones, made with help from her father and 5-year-old brother, Pepe.

"When I saw them I knew what to do," she said of her natural ingredients. "I liked that you could paint things and then add sparkles to it, so it was pretty fun. I'm going to use them for Christmas decorations."

Alex Mancuso, another museum educator, called it a fun learning experience.

"The best part is they can do this with things in their backyard," he said. "That's what we'd like them to learn."