No-Limitz Tennis in Irvine

Being a cool kid can sometimes mean popularity, but it can also mean doing something great for others.  Ryan Teng, a sophomore at Beckman High School, started “No-Limitz Tennis” located in Irvine that teaches special needs kids how to serve and hit tennis balls. Ryan says that he wants to provide a safe, judgement free zone, and secure environment where kids can be themselves, relax, and just have a good time! Sharing your special talent with other kids is definitely being a cool kid.

Do you know a cool kid who has made a difference in their community or another child’s life?  Let us know, and we will feature them in our Random Act of Kid-ness blog! Read full article here.

Random Act of Kid-ness: A Rockin’ Reward for Honesty, Kindness to Strangers

This week’s Random Act of Kid-ness comes to us from Maine, where 8 year old Abbie Jacobson stumbled upon a little green silk purse on the ground while shopping with her dad. Inside the purse was $4,000 in cash, a debit card, and a stash of gold rings, bracelets, and earrings, but no ID except for the name “Ra Rim” on the debit card. Abbie and her parents called the bank that issued the debit card, and they were able to connect the purse to Ra Rim, an elderly Cambodian immigrant. Ra Rim’s daughter said of Abbie:

“It’s just unbelievable […] I couldn’t believe a person like this existed in the world.”

Abbie’s honesty came with a very special gift. In a story about this act of kindness in a local newspaper, Abbie (a HUGE Justin Bieber fan) had she said if she had $4,000 of her own, she would go to a Justin Bieber concert. The head of the Bank of Maine read this and called the Jacobsons, offering the entire family a trip to see Justin perform at a sold-out concert this fall in Boston!

To read more about this story and how Abbie’s family has become great friends with Ra Rim’s family, click here.

Summer Intern Spotlight: Emily Fare

This summer, we are so excited to have some seriously INCREDIBLE interns. Over the next couple weeks, we’ll be featuring them on our blog so you can get to know a little bit more about them! This week, say hello to Emily Fare!

Name: Emily Fare
A little bit about her: Emily is a senior at the University of Colorado at Boulder and is majoring in Psychology. She plans to go to graduate school for Child Psychology or Educational Psychology. Her passion for working with children was sparked in high school when she volunteered at a local elementary school as a teacher’s assistant in a 3rd grade class. She has also worked at summer camps and has volunteered at a local pony baseball snack shack. Emily has also volunteered at a children’s library. Emily’s consistent involvement with children led her to working at the Zimmer Children’s Museum.

Why the Zimmer?
I chose to intern at the Zimmer because I basically get to play all day! I get so much responsibility such as running Summer Camp, teaching some classes, and helping out with field trips. But most importantly, I get to have fun while doing all these things! I get to surround myself with great children, great families, and great co-workers. I love the Zimmer because it really allows kids to explore and develop. The Zimmer takes pride in teaching kids new skills such as responsibility and community and I love how even the young children can grow.

Take me through a day in the life of Emily at the Zimmer.
Well everyday is different! Some days I can be found walking around the museum helping children and talking to the parents. Other days you won’t even see me at all because I will be running our awesome Summer Camp or planning for the next week! I spend most of my time preparing for summer camp, but when I’m not, people can come visit me when I teach Culture Club and Block Party on Thursday’s. I also help coordinate for the field trips that come in to the Zimmer twice a week! That’s pretty much my typical day doing summer camp, teaching my classes, helping in other classes, or just helping out around our museum!

What’s your favorite exhibit at the Zimmer?
My favorite exhibit would definitely have to be the rescue boat and ball pit! I love how children who may not know each other will sometimes all join in a game to play pirates or sharks. I love how you can really see the kids imaginations take off. I feel like the ball pit brings kids closer together in a fun, imaginative way.

What is the most memorable thing you have been involved in here?
Definitely working at the Summer Camp! This was my first time working with 4 and 5 year olds and they are amazing! They just want to have fun and I’m the person who allows them to do so. I love that feeling of being looked up to and I think when kids are that age, it’s easy for them to look up to someone who is having as much fun as they are. I love free exploration time on the rescue boat during Summer Camp because sometimes I get to be captain and just have a great time!

Do you think interning at the Zimmer will help shape your career path? If so, how?
Without a doubt! Interning at the Zimmer has already helped me so much because I’ve never really worked with kids younger than 7. This experience so far has been amazing and I continue to learn and grow each day. They can’t really teach you in school what I’ve learned here at the Zimmer Children’s Museum. You really just have to experience it and the experiences I’ve had here will definitely help me in a career with children. I plan to work at an elementary school someday and I’m sure the lessons I learn here will help me with my work choice. You learn, developmentally, how to interact, play, and teach these children and I cannot think of a better place to learn these skills!

Thanks, Emily! Stay tuned for more summer intern spotlights!

Random Act of Kid-ness: Mitzvah Chefs

This week’s Random Act of Kid-ness comes to us from the Bay Area, where first through eighth graders at Peninsula Temple Sholom prepare and deliver meals to local residents in need. This program, called Mitzvah Chefs, is based on the ideas of mitzvah, meaning charity or good deed, and tikkun olam, or helping/repairing the world.

The temple’s Youth Director Yael Zaken says,

“It’s really important to start within your own community. And [we teach them] for it to be not only the people of your religion or ethnicity or race. We make sure we have a discussion about the best ways to make the world a better place.”

That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? At the Zimmer, every single one of our exhibits focuses on learning human values such as respect for others, helping those in need , generosity, and making the world a better place. We are focused on the BIG IDEAS of global citizenship, community responsibility, and cultural sensitivity.

Click here to read more about Mitzvah Chefs.

What can you do to make the world a better place? Why not start by playing your way to a better world at the Zimmer?

Random Act of Kid-ness: The Torch Club

This week’s Random Act of Kid-ness comes to us from Salem, Massachusetts, where a group of kids in the Torch Club is using art for social good.

Last year, the club took an art culture course, where the 10-12 year old members learned about art from all over the world. This year, they created a giant Guatemalan-style kite to benefit an organization that uses art for community development in Central America called ArtCorps. Taylor Nelson, the director of art and education for the Salem Boys and Girls Club and Torch Club, says:

“It’s easier to help the kids understand community service when you do it for someone you see,” she said. “But I think it’s more important for people you don’t see. I want to infuse ArtCorps’ idea that there’s a big world out there and art has a role in it.” 

To read more about ArtCorps and the Torch Club, click here.

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“Once you begin to acknowledge random acts of kindness – both the ones you have received and the ones you have given – you can no longer believe that what you do does not matter.” -Dawna Markova