MIDDLEBORO — Children from all over the Middleboro area gathered at Burkland Elementary School to learn how to paint penguins and help build a playground.

The Penguin Paint Night event, held Thursday, Feb. 29, was organized by the Playground Committee at Burkland School and hosted by Blue Anchor Studios of Middleboro. The event raised money to support the construction of a new Burkland School play area.

Students from kindergarten to middle school followed artist Blue Anchor Studios owner  Robyn Iarrobino’s step-by-step instructions on how to paint a jubilant, ear-muffed penguin.

The room was filled with giggles and sneers, nudges and smiles as the 67 participants diligently transformed the blank canvas in front of them into a colorful creature.

Burkland student Vanessa Swiader, 10, was particularly pleased with the night’s result. In addition to creating a penguin, she won a raffle and took home a gift card to Ryan Family Amusements bowling and game center.

Scarlett Edson, a second grader at the school, was also pleased with her work — and went as far as to give her creation a name: Emmy.

“She wants to be an artist when she grows up,” explained her mother, Heather Edson.

Edson is a member of the Playground Committee that organized the event to raise money for the construction of a new playground at Burkland School.

Penguin Paint Night was just one of several fundraisers the committee has put on to replace, piece by piece, the worn-down play facilities.

Some new structures have already been installed. “It’s an ongoing process,” Edson said.

The goal is to complete the project in the next two years.

For both organizers and host, the night was a success. Penguin Paint Night brought in $561 for the children’s play area.

And Iarrabino’s wish came true: Every child left with a smile. “We’re happy with what we did,’’ she said.