CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG-TV9) - Looking for something fun and free to do for your kids on spring break?
The Cedar Rapids Police Department is offering a program that lets kids tap into their creative side.
It's called "Craft with a Cop," and it's a way for kids to do arts and craft projects and get a chance to meet the local police officers serving their community.
Tracy Ehlert, runs a daycare in Cedar Rapids and last week she took her pre-school age students to meet with police officers and color badges.
Ehlert says "Craft with a Cop" is a great way to help build those relationships with police officers.
She even brought her son during the winter break session a few months ago.
"He was coloring his badge and snowflake and his favorite team colors, so him and the officer that was sitting next to him they discussed sports and their favorite teams and their favorite players and he gave them quite the education on the Carolina Panthers," says Ehlert.
Officer Shannon Sampson has been apart of Craft with Cop for a number of years.
She enjoys coloring and getting to know the children in her community.
Officer Sampson says this event is also a great way to improve the relationships with police officers and young people in Cedar Rapids.
"We want them to know that police officers are there to help them be safe and we don't want them to be afraid of us so we hope that by having these events and interacting with them they can see that, we really are just normal people, nice people and we just have a job to do and our job to help people and keep everyone safe," says Officer Sampson.
All the arts and craft materials like crayons, yarn, and paint will be provided for the kids.
The program is completely free, but parents do need to stay with their kids through the camp.
Craft with a Cop is taking place this Wednesday and Thursday at the Northwest Recreation Center, 1340 11th Street NW.
The program is for kids ages 6 to 13.
The Wednesday, March 14th session is from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. and the Thursday, March 15th session is from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Advance registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome. Register for program #311315-01 for Wednesday and program #311315-02 for Thursday online at www.CRREC.org or call (319) 286-5566. Contact Officer Shannon Sampson at (319) 286-5434 or the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department at (319) 286-5566 with questions.