Volunteer
YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
We offer opportunities for individuals to support our staff and help create a wonderful experience for our visiting families.
Your time and talent provide valuable support to children and families in our community!
Here are some current volunteer opportunities:
Polar Express Holiday Celebration
​This very popular holiday event requires a small army of volunteers including hair stylists, cocoa servers, elves and greeters. Volunteer and have a fun time watching little ones enjoy the magic. This is one of the funnest volunteer gigs available anywhere. Spend a few hours playing. There are some costumed positions available - let me know if you are interested in being a Grinch, Tattooed Elf, Reindeer or other holiday character. We can provide the costume.
Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15
3 Sessions to choose from each day
Volunteers must be at least 16 years old. Under 18 are limited to 2 sessions per day.
Monday, December 16 - Help turn the Polar Express back into the Children’s Museum
Volunteers must be at least 14 years old or accompanied by an adult.
Sign up: https://forms.gle/qYHa4Rpz65a9EzcAA
All Polar Express volunteers receive 1/2 off the admission cost to the Polar Express for everyone in their household. Snacks and drinks will be provided for all volunteers working at the Children's Museum. Community service certificates are available.
Contact Kristi at kristi@tcmso.org or 541-778-0597 with questions.
Spring Bulb Planting and Rose Trimming
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Join us for the most popular volunteer work party of the year. We trim all the roses back and plant daffodil and tulip bulbs; laying down the groundwork for beautiful spring flower displays.
January 4th - 10 AM to 1 PM
Sign-ups will start in November
Volunteers of all ages are welcome but anyone under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Under 18 requires guardian's permission. Drinks, snacks and community service forms provided.
Want to help with this fun event but can’t come? We need lots and lots of spring flower bulbs.
Contact Kristi at 541-772-9922 or Kristi@tcmso.org with questions.
Join Our Home Support Team
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Projects pop-up throughout the year that we need help with from people at home. Examples of these projects include assembling kits, folding maps, or cutting materials. We provide all the materials for these projects.
When one of these projects pops up we will email you with the project details and deadline. You will let us know if you’d like to complete that project. There is no requirement to accept projects. Once you accept a project we do require that you complete it within the provided time frame.
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Contact Kristi Reynolds (Kristi@tcmso.org) to be added to the Home Support Team emailing list.
Program Assistants Needed for Food Programs
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Program Assistants Needed for Food Programs
Join our Food Instructors at these very popular programs in the culinary studio. Come 30 minutes before the programs start to help with preparation and set-up. If clean-up is more your thing then stay after to help wash dishes and clean up the culinary studio. As a bonus you get to sample the fun foods.
Program Times:
Wednesday 1:30 to 3 or 2 to 3:30
Thursday 1:30 to 2:30 or 2:30 to 3:30
Saturday 1:30 to 2:30 or 2:30 to 3:30
Interested volunteers can contact Kristi Reynolds at kristi@tcmso.org or 541-772-9922.
Musicians Needed for Program "Sound Painting"
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During “Sound Painting”, kids explore the interface of visual and audio art in this program - as music plays, kids paint what they hear. Guest musicians are needed to expand kids’ exposure to different instruments and styles.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday - Arrive by 2:45; start playing at 3 and play for 30 to 45 minutes.
Are you interested in being a guest musician for one day or multiple weeks? Contact Kristi at kristi@tcmso.org or 541-772.9922
Volunteering in the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon
There are several different volunteer positions available in the museum
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Museum Floor Pop-Up Programmer* - Interact with guests and present interactive items like animal furs, musical instruments or building blocks.
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Museum Floor Program Instructor* - Present a program on a regular schedule. We can provide the program or we can work with you to develop one that is all your own. This could be dance, science, imagination, storytelling - the sky’s the limit.
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Museum Program Assistant* - Aid the Program Instructor with various aspects of the program including set-up, delivery and clean-up. Must be available at the times of the programs.
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Museum Detail Cleaner - Get into all the nooks and crannies of exhibits to assure that they are clean and sanitized.
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Museum and Preschool Grounds Care - Pull weeds, pick up sticks, trim plants. This position is partly seasonal - check with the volunteer coordinator on current needs.
*Museum Program Positions require a commitment of at least 1 hour per week. There is a required training session before volunteering in the museum. This training session takes about 1 hour (some may be able to be completed from home).
Museum volunteer positions are open to anyone 14 years or older (dependent on the position). Under 18 requires permission from a guardian. For volunteers under 16, a guardian must also attend the training session. Community service certificates are available for all volunteer hours.
If you are interested in volunteering in the museum contact Outreach Coordinator Kristi Reynolds at kristi@tcmso.org or 541-772-9922.
School projects, internships or practicums
In both the Children’s Museum and The Ivy School - we can host students for high school and college practicum hours, internships, or projects. Each project is approved on a case-by-case basis. If you have a project proposal or need practicum hours then contact Kristi Reynolds at kristi@tcmso.org.
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For any opportunities, inquiries, or questions contact Volunteer Coordinator Kristi Reynolds at kristi@tcmso.org or 541-772-9922.
Want to help but can’t volunteer? Here is a list of needed donations:
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Bubble solution
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Spring bulbs (daffodils, tulips, crocus)
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Acorns
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Magnets - all sizes and types
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Mardi gras beads
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Kids’ underwear & socks (new, sizes 3T, 4T, 5T)
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Wooden tree cookies of all sizes
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Nature items like sea shells, pine cones, seed pods, antlers, lichens, fleece/fur, driftwood etc.
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​To arrange for donation drop-offs or pick-ups contact Kristi at kristi@tcmso.org or 541-772-9922.