Connecting, Engaging and Empowering The Community
Barefoot & Bloomin’ provides educational outreach at community events and schools. With a strong focus on conservation and sustainability, we create nature-inspired activities and share literature and resources that help connect, engage and empower the community.
We spark meaningful connections with the natural world, reading, STEM and the arts, and provide an understanding of our role as stewards of the earth.
Everything and everyone is connected.
Would you like Barefoot & Bloomin’ to visit your school, group or organization to help teach a specific program, topic or activity?
Email: info@barefootandbloomin.org
SCHOOL & GROUP PROGRAMS…
Nature-inspired programs for schools and groups that connect to multiple subject areas and grade level learning standards, plus we come to you! From wiggly worm investigations and composting, to reading with our very own travelin’ chickens! Learn more…
SCHOOL & COMMUNITY GARDENS…
Let’s get growing organically! We want to help schools and organizations create garden spaces that feed people and pollinators with companion planting and regenerative practices. Gardens can be interactive classrooms, embedding all subject areas. Learn more…
WORKSHOPS & CLASSES FOR FAMILIES…
Designed for all ages! Have fun connecting with each other and the natural world while creating projects – from helping pollinators, to creating recycled art. Coming soon!
VISIT BAREFOOT & BLOOMIN’ AT THESE EVENTS:
MAY 2026
“May is the month when nature is reborn, and everything is possible.”
– Unknown
May 9, 2026
SACHETS AND MOTHER’S DAY
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and Mother’s Day! … read more
Join us as we connect to the book, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. We will be celebrating opening day at the market and all the moms! Come make a small lavender and rosemary sachet – a perfect gift for a special Mom or keep for yourself! We’re also using nature-based paints to create cards and sharing the benefits of herbs. FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00am – 12:00 pm
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May 16, 2026
WIGGLE WORMS AND BOOK WORMS
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, science and art… read more
It’s all about worms today! Join us as we connect to the book, Wonderful Worms by Linda Glaser. Find out how worms are soil superheroes! Look inside a worm bin, touch a worm, create worm crafts, and read worm books! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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May 23, 2026
NATURE DETECTIVES
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and journaling! … read more
Children will learn how to be nature detectives! Join us as we connect to the book, Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner. Create your own nature journal and start exploring outdoors. Draw, count, and write about what you see. Collect nature treasures in your journal! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00am – 12:00 pm
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May 28, 2026
SUMMER READING KICK-OFF!
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Edwardsville Public Library connecting children to reading, nature, science and art… read more
Join us as we help kick off the 2026 summer children’s reading program at the Edwardsville Public Library – outside in the library’s park. This year’s theme is Plant a Seed When You Read! Our booth is experimenting with bubbles, making giant bubble wands to see how big our bubbles can get, and connecting to nonfiction and fiction books – Pop! A Book About Bubbles by Kimberley Bradley and Margaret Miller and You Can’t Kiss A Bubble by Karen A. Wyle. We’ll also have a nature scavenger hunt around the park and library and we’re giving away seeds to help you grow your own garden! Check out all the fun activities the Edwardsville Public Library is planning on the flyer below! FREE event.
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
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May 30, 2026
POLLINATOR PARTY!
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at Pollinator Party at EarthDance Organic Farm connecting children to reading, nature, science and art… read more
It’s a perfect day for learning more about pollinators! Barefoot & Bloomin’ is sponsoring children’s activities, crafts and books at this FREE community event for all ages. Dress in your favorite pollinator costume, and explore the amazing world of pollinators. Learn how we can all help the habitats that sustain them. We’re connecting to the book, Meet The Pollinators by Barbara Ciletti and will have many other books on hand. For more information about this joyful learning event, click on the image below. FREE event.
11:00 am – 1:00 pm
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May 30, 2026
SALAM DAY!
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at Salam Day with Salam Scouts connecting children to reading, nature, science and art… read more
The pollinator fun continues! We are joining Salam Day at Queeny Park to spread the joy of pollinators…. learning more about them, how we can turn nature into paints and new ways to reuse materials in order to reduce waste! Barefoot & Bloomin’ is sponsoring a children’s booth at this FREE community event for all ages. Explore the amazing world of pollinators while creating art. Learn how we can all help the habitats that sustain them. We’re connecting to the book, Meet The Pollinators by Barbara Ciletti and will have many other books on hand. For more information about this fun-filled day, click on the flyer below. FREE event.
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is there from 2:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Event is 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
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VISIT BAREFOOT & BLOOMIN’ AT THESE EVENTS:
JUNE 2026
“June is the time for dreams to take flight and soar into reality.”
– Emma Racine de Fleur
June 6, 2026
RECYCLED ART & WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, science and art… read more
We’re celebrating World Environment Day at Market Sprouts and learning how we can be good stewards of the earth. Join us as we connect to the book, Be A Good Ancestor by Leona Prince and make fun recycled art to take home or give to someone else as a gift! Help reduce waste in a creative way to make a cleaner, healthier world. Someone else’s trash can be treasure for others! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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June 13, 2026
WIND CHIMES AND POP-UP READING VILLAGE
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, sience and art! … read more
We’re partnering with The Edwardsville Public Library at the Market Sprouts booth today, and celebrating Global Wind Day. Join us as we connect to the book, Kate, Who Tamed The Wind by Liz Carton Scanlon. We’ll learn about wind, its significance and how it can affect us. You can create your own wind chimes to take home or give as a gift for someone else! We’ll also have our pop-up outdoor reading village for you to lounge in with a good book! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00am – 12:00 pm
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June 20, 2026
KIDS MARKET AND FATHER’S DAY
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, entrepreneurship and Father’s Day!… read more
We’re celebrating Kids Market Day at the Market Sprouts booth by learning how we can take our creative ideas and make things – not only for ourselves, but for others too! Join us as we connect to the book, Be A Maker by Katie Howes and then make memorable cards and small gifts for a special Dad in your life. We will be using paints we make from nature and unleashing our artistic and entrepreneur sides of ourselves! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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VISIT BAREFOOT & BLOOMIN’ AT THESE EVENTS:
JULY 2026
“If I had my way, I’d remove January from the calendar altogether and have an extra July instead.”
-Roald Dahl
July 4, 2026
FIREWORKS, FRIENDSHIP AND THE 4TH OF JULY
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and friendship!… read more
We’re celebrating the 4th of July at Market Sprouts by learning about why we celebrate at this time of year, and the importance of friendship and working together! Join us as we connect to the book, Wilford, Blue and the 4th of July Fireworks by Rebecca McDonald. Then working together, we will use/reuse materials from nature, and cardboard/paper to create festive decorations and art work for the 4th of July. Leaves, pinecones and dried flowers can be turned into stamps and paint brushes! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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July 11, 2026
NATURE’S MAGICAL WANDS
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and imaginations!… read more
We’re at the Market Sprouts booth today having fun with our imagination and the magic of nature. Join us as we connect to the book, The Magic Forest by Jacqueline Crivello. Then create a magical wand out of natural materials such as sticks, feathers, flowers, leaves and twine. What magic will your wand bring? FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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July 18, 2026
THE ANYWHERE FARM
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and farming!… read more
We’re celebrating Farm Bureau Day at Market Sprouts by learning more about farming and how we can all grow food and flowers even if we don’t have a yard! You can plant a seed in almost anything! Join us as we connect to the book, Anywhere Farm by Phyllis Root. Today we will be upcycling small items and turning them into pots for planting. Take your planted seeds home to nurture and grow! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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VISIT BAREFOOT & BLOOMIN’ AT THESE EVENTS:
AUGUST 2026
“August is like the Sunday of summer.”
– Anonymous
August 1, 2026
TRAVELIN’ CHICKENS & POP-UP READING VILLAGE
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and chickens!… read more
We’re at the Market Sprouts booth today with our four travelin’ chickens, and we’re partnering up with The Edwardsville Public Library! Chickens have many talents on the farm. Come meet four of our chickens – interact with the them, learn how they can help with sustainability, and read to the them! Join us as we connect to the book, Chicken Dance by Tammi Sauer and learn more about these fun and helpful animals. The chickens each have a favorite book too! Chicken crafts will also be a must on this fun day! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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August 8, 2026
WATERMELON & ANIMAL PARTY
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and farm life!… read more
We’re celebrating at the Market Sprouts booth today during their Petting Zoo and Watermelon Eating Contest special event! Join us as we connect to the book, Watermelon Party by Jasmine Cabanaw by creating fun watermelon art, investigating the watermelon life cycle and learning more about the animals on the farm! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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August 22, 2026
WEAVING IN NATURE
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and cultural connections!… read more
Discover the history of weaving and it’s cultural importance around the world. Join us as we connect to the book, Abuela’s Weave by Omar S. Castaneda. Create your own weaving craft using yarn and items from nature. FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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VISIT BAREFOOT & BLOOMIN’ AT THESE EVENTS:
SEPTEMBER 2026
“…some of the rarest days of the year come in September, days when it is comfortably cool but pulsing with life.”
-Hal Borland
September 5, 2026
DOG DAYS!
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and dogs!… read more
Come visit us for a paw-somely good time at the Dog Days! event at Market Sprouts. We’re partnering up with the Edwardsville Public Library! Join us as we connect to the book, Can I Be Your Dog? by Tony Cummings. Pop-up tents will be out for you to lounge in with a good book – choose a good read from one of our book bins or bring your own! You can also make a chewy dog toy by reusing old t-shirts or create a dog craft with nature based materials! Come see all the diggity dogs! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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September 12, 2026
KINDNESS ROCKS
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and The Kindness Project!… read more
One message at just the right moment can change someone’s entire day, outlook, or even life! Join us at the Market Sprouts booth today as we connect to the book, Kindness Rocks by Megan Murphy. We will be learning about the Kindness Rocks Project and painting rocks with words or pictures that promote happpy feelings! Give your Kindness Rock to someone as a gift, place it in a park, or keep it for yourself for something happy to look at! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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September 19 , 2026
MONARCH MADNESS
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art and Monarch butterflies… read more
Discover the magic of monarch butterflies and how they connect three countries. Learn how we can help them survive, and create a fun monarch butterfly craft. Join us at the Market Sprouts booth today as we connect to the book, Señorita Mariposa by Ben Gundersheimer. We will also have milkweed seed balls to make, take and toss outside in the fall! Monarch caterpillars and butterflies need milkweed to survive! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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VISIT BAREFOOT & BLOOMIN’ AT THESE EVENTS:
OCTOBER 2026
“In October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible.”
-Elizabeth Speare
October 3, 2026
IF YOU FIND A LEAF…
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art … read more
Discover all the ways leaves are important for people, animals and insects. Learn to identify some leaves you might find outside, and have fun with a leaf scavenger hunt and leaf art. Join us at the Market Sprouts booth today as we connect to the book, If You Find A Leaf by Aimee Sicuro. We will all be learning about the importance of leaving the leaves this fall! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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October 9, 2026 – Farmers Formal
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Mission/Education Booth – check back for more information soon!
October 10, 2026
WINTER GREENHOUSES AND NATIVE SEEDS
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art, STEM and native plants!… read more
We’re diggin’ native plants! Join us at the Market Sprouts booth today as we connect to the book, The Weedy Garden by Margaret Renkl. We will be reusing containers (to practice reducing waste), and make mini greenhouses to plant native seeds in. The mini greenhouses stay outside in fall and winter so the seeds get cold stratification over winter. Discover why it’s important for our ecosystem to grow native plants, and learn indigenous uses for the plants we will be growing! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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October 17, 2026
PUMPKIN PALOOZA!
Barefoot & Bloomin’ is at the Market Sprouts Booth connecting children to reading, nature, art STEM and all things pumpkins!… read more
Dress up in your Halloween costume and come for pumpkin fun at our second annual Pumpkin Palooza! Pumpkin decorating, seed guessing contest, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin crafts and more! Join us at the Market Sprouts booth today as we connect to the book, How Many Seeds In A Pumpkin by Margaret McNamara. Also discover how pumpkins can become amazing additions to the compost pile when Halloween is over! It’ll be a Positively Perfect Pumpkin Palooza! FREE event.
@ The Land Of Goshen Community Market
8:00 am – 12:00 pm
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Barefoot & Bloomin' 