Kites for Kids event at Carnegie Science Center helping lift up community children in need

Children of all ages will be able to see a lot more color and activities with the Kites for Kids event at the Carnegie Science Center. 

A space at the museum will be transformed into something special and is all about helping kids just be kids.

Learning and having fun go hand in hand at the Carnegie Science Center with exhibits, technology, and of course, science — but there are kites, too.

“The kites here are a fun, childhood activity and a symbol of a chance to soar and be lifted up,” said Scott Hollander, Executive Director of KidsVoice.

“All five floors, you can see the different kites as you make your way up,” said Megan McKenzie, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for the Carnegie Science Center. 

With kites big or small, in all colors and designs, made by children in the Allegheny County foster care system, Kites for Kids is an event for at-risk children to anonymously have fun here.

“Many of them have never been to the Science Center,” Hollander said.

KidsVoice is a non-profit that helps abused or neglected children get the social services they need and Kites for Kids is their biggest event of the year.

“Thousands of our clients are able to come and see the community supporting them and seeing the Kites for Kids logo means that people believe in them,” Hollander said.

Hollander says local support and partnerships have kept the Kites for Kids event running for years. 

“We have a lot of support from UPMC for different programs that we do,” Hollander said. “They’re also a sponsor of the event.”

And despite the challenges the children are facing in their personal lives, when they’re at the Science Center, they’re not thinking about what they’re missing or what’s going to happen tomorrow, they’re just happy they get to be a kid.

“They’re coming for fun,” McKenzie said. “It’s science through play, just having fun, learning something new, but truly having a great time and that’s what we’re excited to be the backdrop for.”

Kites for Kids is happening Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Carnegie Science Center.