Connecticut, also known as the "Nutmeg State," is a magical land where rivers flow like melted silver, castles rise from the ocean, and pizza is considered a culinary masterpiece. It is a place where the leaves burst into a symphony of colors every fall, and the snowflakes dance a ballet in the winter. The people of Connecticut are known for their love of books, basketball, and, of course, their unusual obsession with hamburgers. In this enchanting land, there lives a group of kids, as diverse and colorful as the state's scenery. They are the Knights of the Pencil, champions of creativity, who wield their imaginations like swords, turning words into fantastic stories filled with dragons, aliens, superheroes, and sometimes, a very confused squirrel named Nutty. Nutty, with his fluffy tail and googly eyes, is quite a character himself. He doesn't understand why he can't store his acorns in people's shoes or why humans don't hibernate during winter. Nutty is always up to some nutty adventures, and his mishaps often find their way into the stories crafted by the Knights of the Pencil. These kids from Connecticut, like Nutty, are anything but ordinary. They can transform a rainy day into an epic tale of battling sea monsters or a trip to the grocery store into an exciting quest for the last box of cookies. They believe that each word they write is a drop of magic, and when they come together, they create an ocean of fantastical tales that make the Nutmeg State a little bit nuttier and a whole lot more magical.
Read morebest writing programs in Granby, CT


What began in a humble New York City apartment with just a single student, Spark, has since blossomed into an enriching program impacting thousands of children. Our unique educational approach combines the elements of art, yoga, meditation, and nature to create a holistic learning environment. This distinctive blend is what sets Spark apart, allowing us to reach and inspire a multitude of children in truly meaningful ways. With an array of offerings to accommodate various schedules and needs, Spark has something for everyone. Our services extend beyond the standard after school and weekend classes to include holiday and summer camps, birthday parties, portfolio preparation, private classes, and custom pods. We also welcome homeschool groups and are thrilled to announce the recent addition of a forest school program to our repertoire. You can find Spark on-site in various schools and at our main studio located in the Upper West Side. But we're not stopping there - we're also planning to expand to the Upper East Side and Brooklyn. For our families in Pennsylvania, we run the program from our family studio there. And if you're not in close proximity to any of our locations, don't worry. We offer in-home instruction and virtual options to ensure that Spark can reach you, no matter where you are. We invite you to explore all the ways you can experience Spark and look forward to helping bring our program to you.

At the YMCA of Greater Hartford, we are dedicated to helping people develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind, and body. We strive to live out universal values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility, which are reinforced by our commitment to Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. We provide more than 100 programs and services through our 10 branches and two resident camps, which serve Hartford, Litchfield, Tolland, and Windham counties. We are a charitable association open to all, and we are excited to continue building lifelong success for everyone we serve.