Do you enjoy sharing the wonder of nature with children?

Healing and Hope Through Science program brings nature and science activities to children at Duke and UNC Children’s Hospitals.

We are now looking for volunteers! 

Our goal is to provide support for hospitalized children’s emotional well-being and education by engaging them in activities that nurture their sense of curiosity about the living world. 

  As a volunteer with this program, you will help our educator, Katie Vogel, with hands-on science classes and  one on one instruction with patients at Duke Children’s Hospital and/or UNC Children’s Hospital.   Join us for an incredibly fun and rewarding program!  Child-centered  and child-chosen activities include (but are not limited to):

Making bear and beaver track castings

Making and exploding baking soda and vinegar volcanoes

Dissecting flowers and making tissue paper flowers

Using microscopes to explore the small parts of our world

Making a mess with “goo”

Growing seeds

Bird Watching with our web-camera 
 

Studies have shown that nature play for the children, in addition to being fun, can provide psychological and physiological benefits.  Many natural objects (or stories about nature or replicas of natural objects) can remind children of their home or of vacation environments, which can provide them with a sense of calm and familiarity.  Additionally, through both play and investigation, the children are empowered by creating their own rules and games. 

We would love for you to join us in bringing the natural world inside for children at Duke and/or UNC Children’s Hospitals.  This cutting edge program is the first of its kind in bringing extensive nature programming to children in the hospital.  Help us nurture and grow our program for children from throughout North Carolina.   Volunteers will be asked to volunteer for at least 8 hours per month at either Duke or UNC (you may choose). Please contact Katie at 919 914-0015 for more info.

*This program requires training which will be provided by Duke Gardens as well as Volunteer Services at Duke or UNC Hospitals.