Ignite Your Child’s Imagination at Free, Fun-Filled Workshops on May 17 at the Gaithersburg Book Festival
Gaithersburg, Md. – April 16, 2025 – Take advantage of a day of FREE, fun-filled workshops that will ignite your child’s passion for reading and writing during the Gaithersburg Book Festival, Saturday, May 17 at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, Md. Whether your child dreams of writing their own story, journaling through art or exploring fantastical worlds, these interactive sessions promise to inspire and entertain
The children’s workshops, which are 55 minutes long and designed for children ages Kindergarten through 5th grade (unless otherwise noted) and their families, include:
Unlocking a Lifelong Love of Reading: A Workshop for Families – 10:00 a.m.
Join Elizabeth Gray Boachie-Ansah, a former elementary educator and author, for an interactive and inspiring workshop that will showcase a framework for cultivating literacy. Learn seven practical and proven tips that can be easily applied by families to unlock their child’s lifelong love of reading.
Poems in a Snap: Writing Ekphrastic Poetry from Photos – 11:00 a.m.
Read and write short poems written from photographs. Led by Heidi Mordhorst, author of two poetry collections for young readers, this workshop will teach about ekphrasis, creative writing about visual art. You’ll compose a poem together on chart paper, choosing words that sound good to your ears and feel good in your mouth. Then, you’ll select from an array of interesting photos and compose your own poems. The workshop will close with an opportunity to share poems with the group. Young poets will take home their ekphrastic poem and a souvenir.
History, Her Story, YOUR Story! – Noon
Everyone has a story to tell…including you! This interactive workshop, led by author Naomi Milliner, will explore how to craft a story that is uniquely YOU: one that no one else can write. You’ll play a game or two, try some fun writing prompts, and get your creative juices flowing.
Animal Haiku: Poems on Favorite Creatures (Note: Ages 8+) – 1:00 p.m.
Modeled after poems in “Wild Washington,” an illustrated poetry book about animal sculptures in Washington, D.C., and led by poet and artist Nancy Arbuthnot, this workshop will review haiku techniques to create animal cards (illustrations optional) with a haiku about a favorite pet, wild animal or animal sculpture.
Comic Character Creation – 2:00 p.m.
Join cartoonists Dave Roman (“Unicorn Boy”) and John Gallagher (“Max Meow”) for a fun-filled workshop about developing unique characters, brainstorming ideas and collaborating with fellow artists to create unexpected comic stories full of crazy twists and turns.
Art Journaling: Stories Through Words and Pictures – 3:00 p.m.
Discover the creative possibilities of art journaling. This workshop, led by poet and storyteller Jennifer-NeToi Claiborne, combines poetry, song lyrics, quotes and visual storytelling to help you create meaningful journal pages. Explore techniques like free writing, collage and drawing to express yourself through words and images. Supplies are provided, but feel free to bring favorite quotes, photos or lyrics to inspire your work.
Tell Amazing Stories in Impossible Worlds – 4:00 p.m.
People who could never meet, lands that are fantastic and magical are at the center of this workshop. Author and educator Hildie Block will lead you through the process of using wacky prompts to tell truly far out stories with fantastic characters.
The workshops will be held during the Festival in the Children’s Workshops Pavilion in the Children’s Village. No pre-registration is required for these free workshops.
Learn more about these children’s workshops, the presenters and the schedule, as well as additional workshops geared for adults and older teens, being held between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 17.
About the Gaithersburg Book Festival
The Gaithersburg Book Festival is an annual all-day celebration of books, writers and literary excellence, which is celebrating 16 years in 2025. One of the premier literary events in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the 2025 Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, at Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm (506 S. Frederick Ave.) in Gaithersburg, Md. Activities will include author appearances, discussions and book signings; writing workshops; a Children’s Village; onsite sales of new and used books; literary exhibitors; and food, drink, ice cream and more. Admission and shuttles from Shady Grove Metro and Montgomery County Fairgrounds are FREE. The Gaithersburg Book Festival also hosts author events in Montgomery County throughout the year as a way to encourage continued appreciation for all things literary. For more information please visit www.gaithersburgbookfestival.org, follow us on X @GburgBookFest or like us on Facebook.
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