Noah Johnson Daily Press The Lego Club meets at the Escanaba Library one Saturday each month. Guests are encouraged to bring Legos, but the club will also provide them.

ESCANABA — A local club is encouraging youths to explore their creativity.

Elizabeth Lind, leader of the Lego Club said that she wants to get youth involved with Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM).

“My biggest heart cry is encouraging the youth in STEM activities. It is so much more than just Legos. That’s a small little aspect of it, but it’s just encouraging the kids to just build and create and develop those aspects in the brain,” Lind said.

Lind, with the help of Children’s Librarian Patt Fittante, provides a monthly program for those who want to create.

The club is not exclusive, as anyone can join and start creating.

“You honestly don’t even have to have Legos. You can just show up because we have a tote of Legos that we bring each time just in case,” she said.

She joked that even one of her children forgot their Legos on the way out that day.

“You might have even forgotten them like some of my kids did on our way out the door, but it doesn’t take anything. It just takes building,” Lind said.

Lind said the club is doing very well, averaging 15-20 youths at each meeting. The kids also get to participate in a drawing to win prizes — such as more Legos.

“It’s been thriving too. The kids love coming, and they love putting their names in the little drawing over there to see if they win a prize,” she said.

As the youths create, Lind goes around to each table to see what they are making and encourage them.

In addition to stimulating their brains, the club gives youths a comfortable and safe space to practice public speaking.

“That’s something that we’re all terrified of, but when you have a group setting where they can each show what they’ve built and explain it, It’s just so encouraging,” she said.

“It’s another skill that they get to hone in and have joy in doing that.”

Each month, Lind gives the club a theme to work off of, but they are free to create whatever they want.

“That’s just kind of a baseline. This is a suggestion if you can’t think of anything, but from there, you can build whatever you want,” Lind said.

She compared building Legos to her woodworking, saying the minute details the club members focus on share similarities with her projects.

“I think of the woodworking projects that I do at home and how important it is to account for each little nook and cranny that I’m working on, and Legos are just super foundational for something like that,” she said.

The Lego Club meets once monthly at the Escanaba Library from 1 to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

“It’s a great program to encourage different life skills,” Lind said.

To keep up with the Lego Club’s schedule and other events at the library, visit escanabalibrary.org/calendar.