Good, clean fun at the Creative Child Learning Center in Lakewood Ranch

By Madison Bierl
| 8:45 a.m. July 25, 2025

East County
Neighbors

Sarasota resident Cyndi Dixon, along with her 5-year-old grandson Alijah Dixon, took full advantage of becoming one with the foam during the Creative Child Learning Center's foam party July 22.

Cyndi said Alijah is normally on the shy side, which has caused him to miss out on events such as Easter egg hunts and meeting Santa. Alijah didn't let his shyness stop him from diving deep into a foam mountain.

"Every time, the children on the quieter side let their personality come out (during such events), as it is a new sensory experience," Cyndi Dixon said.

Dixon has worked at Creative Child Learning Center for 25 years and is the last original teacher since it has opening.

The foam came out of an inflatable wall and blew throughout the yard.

Bradenton resident Skylar Nordgren, 4, said the foam looked like clouds and pineapples.

The party was presented by Skipper Schmitt, who owns and operates his own business, Awesome Foam Party. It is based in Apollo Beach and he creates his own bubble solution.

Schmitt said he does foam parties at 100 different preschools during the summer. This was his fourth visit to Creative Child Learning Center.

"They (the kids) said it was the best day ever," Schmitt said.

"I always say the messier the better," Heather Kukene, a teacher at the Creative Child Learning Center. "I've never seen them be so happy and it's a good way to get their energy out."

Lakewood Ranch resident Madeline Phillips, 4, felt like a superhero while she was running through the foam during a party at the Creative Child Learning Center in Lakewood Ranch.

Bradenton residents Cameron Canay, 5 and Brooks Pfeifer, 5,

Parrish's Carter Bennett, 4, has a blast during the foam party at the Creative Child Learning Center in Lakewood Ranch.

Lakewood Ranch resident Valkyrie Gross, 4,

Bradenton residents Landon Schorn, 5 and Luca Breyer-Bonilla, 5

Bradenton 5-year-olds Iyla Hall, Finley Jones, and Riley Egloff, and Wimauma 5-year-old Anastasia Oustimov, 5,

Wimauma resident Anastasia Oustimov, 5, comes out of the foam but takes a good bit of it with her.

Sarasota resident Alijah Dixon, 5, still is covered with foam as he gets a hug from his grandma Cyndi Dixon, who has worked for Creative Child Learning Center for 25 years.

Lakewood Ranch resident Rosemary Combast, 5, emerges from the foam.

Parrish 3-year-old Zinnia Field said she didn't know what foam was until the Creative Child Learning Center's foam party.

author

Madison Bierl

Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter for the East County Observer. She grew up in Iowa and studied at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.