My Internship is Over

Well, after a lot of time, hard work and no pay my internship has finally ended. I actually really enjoyed my time at The Ruth Bancroft Garden and am sad that it's over. The no pay thing really was a downer, but I was able to gain some great experience, meet awesome people, and pull off an event that was overall a success. We had a 117 guests visit the garden, which was good for a first event, and for the garden. Not many people know about the garden, especially young families, so we were happy with the number that came through.

I wrote a wrap that was suppose to go to Let's Move, but I have no idea if it actually made it or not. In case it didn't, I don't want it to go to waste. Feel free to read it below, or if you'd like to read the short summarized version of the event continue reading.

Summarized:

When it came to designing the event, I was asked to come up with educational games and activities for children to learn. We wanted to create an event that was not only fun, but also gave children a chance to learn while playing. 

So the theme was "Fun in the Sun Adventures" and children and families were able to learn water conservation, survival skills and more about nature through games and crafts. We divided the garden into three parts: Dessert, Lake and Camping. The activities children (and parents) were able to do were:

A safety relay race

Pebble Pets

Photo Booth

Water Relay Race

(They learned about how much water was used 

when they washed their hands by filling up the bucket at the other end)

Bean Bag Toss

Garden Mural

Bird Feeders

Telescope Adventure (Make telescopes)

Smelly Hike

Camping Experience Play Area

Let's Move Article:

On Saturday, August 4 The Ruth Bancroft Garden held their first summer event, Fun in the Sun Adventures for families around the California Bay Area to come and attend. The purpose of Fun in the Sun Adventures was to inform families, especially children about the importance of water conservation, survival skills, and more about nature through fun educational games and crafts.

Children got active and ran through a safety obstacle course that took them through part of the garden on a path that was filled with safety items that would help them in a desert setting to pick up and maneuver around obstacles that stood in their way. Children crawled or limboed under a broomstick, zig zagged through cones, and hopped to items lying on the path before making it to the finish line.

Water conservation was taught through a water relay race that required children to pass off water to another player using two cups, and dumping it into a bucket at the end of the race. When the bucket was filled, children were able to see how much water was used when they washed their hands.

A beanbag toss was also utilized as a great way to learn about water conservation. Children were asked questions about water conservation, and had to choose a bucket with the correct answer to throw the beanbag into. Questions like “What should you do with the water when you brush your teeth?” or “When should you water your garden?” were asked during this game.

Children had fun making bird feeders using a pinecone, peanut butter and birdseed. This was a great activity for children to take home and enjoy the learning experience after they left the event by seeing what variety of birds would stop by and eat at the seeds.

The adventure continued as children crafted handmade telescopes using paper towel rolls and paint. Once they were finished, children were able to look through their telescope and see the garden through a new perspective.

When parents needed a break, children played at a camping site with tents, sleeping bags, and all the things you would need for a camping trip. Children were able to use their imaginations and pretend as if they were actually camping.

Finally, for a fun addition to their own garden, children and parents got a chance to make pebble pets. This was our most popular station, as children were able to get messy and express their creativity using pebbles and paint.

The garden was filled with fun, laughter, and happy families. Children were able to spend time with their families in a beautiful outdoor setting, and learn together while making crafts, playing games and exploring our unique and beautiful garden. 

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 It was a fun day, and I have learned so much! I am also glad that the event is over, and I am ready to move on to bigger and better things. Thanks to The Ruth Bancroft Garden for a fun and fabulous internship!