LA CRESCENTA, Calif. – Staying at home hasn’t been the easiest task for seventh grader Khalia Hite. In fact, if she could describe it in one word, it’d be stressful.
“Grandma is working in the morning, so I have to get things set up for school," Khalia said. "And mom’s off work because they made everyone take a break and everything.”
With a lot of time all spent in the same room, Khalia’s grandma, Lisa, has made a point of trying to make the best of their time together.
They’ve done typical "stay at home" things like adopting a new puppy, taking some virtual dance classes, and chalk art. But they've also completed a project that's a little more unique — building a miniature rose float.
Their float is one of almost 250 entries that will make up the first-ever virtual Rosebud Parade, put on by the Kidspace Children's Museum and the Tournament of Roses.
“With our parade, we thought what if we did it where it focused on the family," explained the tournament's CEO David Eads, "[What if it] gave parents an activity to do with their kids and resulted in something that would be very positive for anyone around the world who wanted to watch it?”
They made the call to families across the country, hoping that stay at home orders wouldn't limit each entry's creativity.
"We don’t want the fun to stop or the play to stop," said Kidspace's marketing manager, Kristen Payne. "So it’s a great opportunity to engage families together, be creative, and use the resources you have at home.
For Lisa, who grew up in the Pasadena area, it was also a chance to share something she loves with her granddaughter.
“When, I was younger I had gone to work on some of the floats," she said. "To be able to do this in a small form was very exciting.”
They'll get to watch their float in action in a spinoff of the actual Rosebud Parade, which took place from 1987 to 2007. The goal back then was similar to what it is now — capturing the beauty and hope of the annual Rose Parade.
"When they watch the parade, it will be a lot of thought and emotion that really stirs you to laugh, to cry, and the stories behind them are simply amazing," Eads said.
You can take a look at all of the amazing entries in this year's parade on Facebook.