COEUR d'ALENE - Her legs wobbling back and forth, her arms outstretched for optimal balance, 10-year-old Aria Hoit stood on top of a large gray ball.

It would roll left and she would tilt right. It would try to escape, veering suddenly in one direction or another, and Aria would shift her sneakers to reclaim her perch.

The sphere was about the size of an exercise ball, one of those flighty things people bounce around on at the gym. But Aria's ball was called a globe, and for a long time she was balanced right on the North Pole.

"After you pass the globe test, you can do it by yourself," she explained.

Aria is a fourth-grader at Sorensen Magnet School in Coeur d'Alene, where she passed her globe test - after a couple of tries - and earned the right to fly solo. On Saturday at Riverstone, she displayed her skills at the Art on the Edge/Sorensen Kids Carnival.

"It's great," said Selina Hoit, Aria's mom. "It's great to have something fun to do in the cold wintertime."

Art on the Edge has hosted a kids carnival for the past five years. This time around, the organization partnered with Sorensen to create a colorful, multifaceted event, featuring arts and crafts, games and live entertainment.

"In years past it's always been at (The Coeur d'Alene) Resort," said Jennifer Jones, a Sorensen parent and volunteer. "I think this year is probably more (people), but it's typically a pretty good show. It's just for the kids. My daughter performs, and it's a great thing for the kids. Neat activities."

Jeni Wing, director of Art on the Edge, estimated between 650 and 700 youngsters stopped by the carnival on Saturday. From about 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m., young, local performers entertained the crowd. African drummers, break dancers, jugglers, singers, Native American dancers and other groups all took the stage.

Some of the performers were students at Sorensen, while others - like a talented crew from Christian Youth Theater-North Idaho, who performed songs from their upcoming production, The Little Mermaid - represented local art groups.

"It's been a great partnership (between Sorensen and Art on the Edge)," Wing said. "The partnership made so much sense: their focus on the arts, and our focus on bringing art to the children of Coeur d'Alene, has made it one of our most successful years."

Close to 80 volunteers participated in the carnival, according to Sorensen Principal Jim Gray. They worked craft booths, taught kids how to play the drums and paint with watercolors, created balloon art and set up chess games.

There was something for everybody, whether toddler or pre-teen, and that was the idea.

"It's going awesome," Gray said Saturday afternoon, at the height of the carnival. "This is a beautiful venue for us, because it's spread out ... everybody can see."

Gray said there were probably 40-50 percent more participants in 2011 than in previous years. The carnival took place inside a vacant storefront, which offered plenty of room for tables, food vendors and a stage. If the space is available next year, Wing said, the kids carnival will definitely return.

"It's all about the kids, to provide an experience for kids," Gray said. "In my opinion, it's things like this that give kids a broader base."

Nate Breazile of Coeur d'Alene brought his 5-year-old daughter, Mischa, to the carnival. According to Breazile, her favorite activities were "probably arts and crafts, the painting, dress-up."

Over at the painting station, 3-year-old Adah Hadden swirled her brush on a white sheet of paper, mixing purples, whites and greens.

"She just loves all the painting, because she's super hands-on and loves to paint," said mom Laurie Hadden of Coeur d'Alene. "I love (the carnival). Four of her big brothers and sisters all go to Sorensen, so we do this every year and I love it."