2022 at Twirl!

Twirl is a Taos-based 501(c)3 Play & Discovery Space providing play-based learning programs for kids, families and schools since 2007

• We support foundational skill development through our free playspace and early childhood programs for infant to 5-year- olds. 

• We engage elementary school students in play-based learning with in-school programs, field trips and community events.

• We partner with educational institutions, business, nonprofits, and local governments, aligning programs to meet broader community goals.

• Twirl offers a singularly distinct STEAM engagement and education. We place a substantial value on providing access to well-developed and executed programming for ALL children in Taos County

In 2022, we served 19 schools and over 7,000 Taos kids 

Twirl continues to be a vital part of the Taos community, both on and off site. In April, we were once again open fully for families, resuming on-site classes and introducing guests to our beautiful and accessible new playroom. The trusty Twirl Van could be spotted near and far in Taos County, bringing singing, dancing, STEAM projects and play supply bags for families displaced by spring fires. It was a huge year for Twirl, both with internal restructuring and in service delivery. Never short on creativity and talent, the Twirl crew designed the Create A Space program, first as a balm for challenges faced by children throughout the pandemic, then as a deeply full and rich community program, engaging hundreds of children and families in every nook and cranny of Taos County and surrounding areas from young children to grandparents.

Recent research shows Taos continues to have some of the lowest educational outcomes in the nation. The challenges and barriers faced by our families are significant and exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic. In Taos, 18% of 25-64 year olds have less than a high school education. The 2020 poverty rate was 24.5%, well above the national average of 11.4%. Children in Taos County are more likely than their peers to live in single-parent households (43%) and 17% live in a home with no working parents. While these figures are startling, there is incredible work being done in Taos and New Mexico to better support families.

Twirl is a vital part of the community support ecosystem for families with children aged 0-11. Our efforts are directed towards creating a safe, inspiring, nurturing and supportive play environment that wouldn’t otherwise exist to foster parent-child engagement, connect community and promote the development of foundational socio-emotional, cognitive, sensory and communication skills. Parents in search of healthy activities for their little ones, a parent community for themselves, and resources to help interact with their children have come to rely on Twirl.

Twirl is a well-respected organization in Taos, known throughout New Mexico as pioneers in STEAM for Early Childhood and Elementary Education, recognized by both SEL Learning committees and the Northern New Mexico STEAM Hub. We have even been invited to present our Create A Space program nationally. Around here, we often say we “put the A in STEAM” – this really sets us apart from traditional STEM learning and the reason why, when people think of Twirl, they also think of FUN! We feel this reputation makes Twirl and our programs feel accessible for families and providers who face stigma and barriers to access that can come with other social services.

Now in year 16, our original group of Twirlers are heading into their late teens and early 20’s. These youth now volunteer at Twirl events, lead youth boards, and many are now off to college. Among the group are published poets, artists, and emerging scientists. One teen, now a contributing artist to The Paseo, recently spoke about her time at Twirl programs – “There was no other place to create in Taos, it was so fun!” Another group of teen boys, while walking into the Paseo installation were overheard saying, “Bro, this place was so sick when we were kids, remember playing here?” And, as we more fully emerge from the pandemic, Twirl is welcoming a both new and returning group of young children and babies. There are more people in Taos than ever before, and tons of young families ready to learn about all there is in store at Twirl.

As usual, tons of kids dropped by to play and shop this year. We estimate a peak visitorship of 400 kids per day. This year, we hosted 15 free field trips, serving 198 unduplicated young ones. This year, many children were visiting for the first time (that they could remember) after the forced hiatus of the pandemic. In addition to the 91 early childhood classes offered on site, we are piloting Science Saturdays, and more out of school activities for elementary-aged children. Looking to the courtyard on any day, you can see representation from all demographics of our community. One mother commented that she was excited to be back for the Cardboard Challenge, because she thought her daughter might have forgotten how to play during the pandemic. Her daughter did, in fact remember how to play, and made her a giant party hat!

In February this year, we kicked off Create A Space (https://youtu.be/jPcDbDJ3e64). Designed to be an in-school program, it blossomed into a deep dive into the creative minds and feelings of our youth. Combining elements of STEAM and SEL, the learning for this program was deepened by multiple visits and learning modalities for elementary-aged children. It was adapted into a loose part, emotional exploration for early childhood centers, family engagement sessions, professional development for partner agencies, and most excitingly, our Paseo Project installation, which showcased all of this work in the beautiful way that only our talented Twirl Team could dream up and execute.

All told: 850+ Students developed an awareness of Social Emotional Learning and STEAM components; 180+ participants with 8 Family Engagement cohorts enjoyed exploring the Create A Space project as families; 18 Early Childhood cohorts enjoyed playing with loose parts and the Create A Space concept; 14 Elementary School cohorts played with materials, created their own Spaces and explored STEAM and SEL concepts; The program supported teachers and caregivers in using arts-integrated practices and sparking connections. between talking about feelings and creative use of materials; 1000+ visitors from 0 - 90 years of age participated in an immersive and artful experience of Create A Space where children and families explored their creative thinking around what feelings can look like and had an opportunity to connect with the larger community through art; The CAS programs brought new families out to the festival, many of whom came to see their individual creations.

Witnessing proud kids seeing their artwork showcased in a space they respect and love - at Twirl, was truly moving. Many adults were moved to tears as they moved through the room displaying the heartfelt work created by Taos kids.

Also new this year, we contracted with Taos Municipal Schools to create an online version of Word Play - Family Word Play! A fully bilingual program, bringing literacy activities to families right in their own homes, and delivering books to accompany lessons. This program has 600+ views on Facebook/YouTube to date, and distributed more than 1200 books in English and Spanish to Taos learners.

As a result of our efforts during the pandemic to reach as many children and families as possible, we were able to continue to fortify our relationships with libraries in remote areas of our county. We feel that librarians are the rock and center of outlying communities. Through these efforts we have solidified recurring partnerships with local libraries, and resulted in 16 Twirl STEAM and literacy events.

Over the summer and this fall, we are back in schools providing Wordplay to every early learning program in Taos County. While this program is remarkable in many ways, one of the most exciting aspects of it is how it reaches 100% of PreK students. Every PreK student is exposed to the same language and literacy exercises, learning through play and dance. This one-of-a-kind program builds community at just the right time, preparing kids for entry into kindergarten with the same box of literacy tools. Through this program, we are also sharing learning and techniques with early childhood caregivers who then carry the lesson throughout the week! This type of collaborative learning is a stated goal of the Taos Collaborative Teaching Institute.

In conclusion, we are grateful. It feels great to be fully and deeply creating with our community again. Our mission: “To support the growth and potential of children in Taos through inspirational, community wide opportunities to gather, learn and play.” drives us, and adds our special brand of Twirl sparkle to all we do.