I am not an outdoors person at all. Dirt, bugs, wild animals, poisonous plants those are the things I think of when someone mentions any outdoor activity. But, I put all my preconceived notions aside and embraced today’s volunteer work which led me to the Big Backyard at Memphis Botanic Gardens.

If you haven’t visited the Big Backyard, it’s a cool place for kids to explore and learn about nature in a safe environment. There are tree houses and areas that have different activities and games. Swings and hammocks are hidden in all the shaded areas of the garden.

While taking a tour with Dave, one of the employees, he told me that there are classes available in the summer for kids to teach them more about the plants and trees in the area. Memphis Botanic Garden also educates kids on sustainable resources and what they can do to help the environment. Even better, there is a strawberry patch located by the activity center that are free for the picking.

One of the most interesting places that I saw on my tour was the music house. All of the instruments in the house were made up of pots and pans. The sounds were different, but entertaining.

After I finished my tour, I worked in a few different parts of the Big Backyard,but I spent most of my time in the Woodland area building forts and helping out kids playing in the area find activities they could do by themselves or in a group. This proved to be my favorite area to work, as I got to watch as the kids who came through played tic-tac-toe, built mosaics out of seedlings and leaves, and walked a crooked balance beam made of wood that zigzagged all around the beautiful and tall trees.

I volunteered my services to McKayla and Caleb to help them build a fort, and they immediately put me to work. The finished product turned out pretty good.

I had a good time volunteering in the Big Backyard today. Putting my fears of dirt, bugs, and poisonous plants on hold for a day turned out to be a good decision. If you are looking for a place to have a nice family outing, birthday party, or weekend activity, I would recommend coming to the Big Backyard. The kids’ classes and workshops are available during the Spring and Summer.

Thank you for reading! I’m searching for a job opportunity where I can apply my PR and Marketing knowledge at a nonprofit organization. I am also interested in development, event planning, and fundraising. If you know of a great fit, please send it our way: jobleads@volunteerodyssey.com

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