GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — For parents, it's sometimes hard to take the little ones to the serious stuff.
On Saturday, the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids turned into a place for both "education and entertainment" at the Kids & Family Expo, presented by be nice., a mental health foundation in West Michigan.
"It's a celebration of connection, wellness and the importance of mental health in our everyday lives," said Christy Buck, CEO of be nice.
Balloon animals, LEGO sets and a bounce house obstacle course brought the fun to the event center on Saturday, while mental health programming like the Empowerment Chain helped people of all ages talk about the things they like about themselves.
"It was a really fun time for families to get some wiggles out after the week we've had," said Hannah Dayton, director of marketing and communications for be nice. "But also [a time for] talking about things like noticing what changes in our emotions we experience and how we can deal with those,"
A seed-planting take-home activity, for example, aimed to teach kids how to see and appreciate change within themselves as they cared for a similarly growing plant.
"I love that there's such a focus on mental health," said Landon Wheeler, a mother who took her children to the expo. "Especially during a time of year where many people need a little bit of joy."
