At the end of each day the floor team, dressed in their signature green tees and khaki pants, says goodbye to our guests as they leave through the magical Kaleidoscope tunnel. But what happens after the doors to our front gate close at 5 pm?

 

We as a floor team gather around the large “K” on the ground and collect walkies and go over any end of day announcements. We also ask one simple question, “What brought you joy today?” We’re not talking about Marie Kondo joy, but a joy that harkens back to our mission statement:

 

The mission of Kidspace Children’s Museum is to nurture the potential of all children through kid-driven experiences, inspiring them to become joyful, active learners. Being “joyful, active learners” doesn’t just refer to our guests, but something we hope staff experiences every day.

 

To us being a “joyful, active learner” is achieved through play. We hope that play is an integral part of our learning objectives and programming at Kidspace. So when we ask staff, “What brought you joy today?” there are many meanings. We want to know how did they play, how were they fulfilled today, and how did they personally connect with the mission and our guests.

 

Here are a few examples of the reflections at our end of day meeting:

 

“I met these two siblings today and we played for my entire time at Mud and Clay. When it was time for me to switch out they wanted to go with me to my next station. It was fun to see them throughout the museum the rest of the day. It felt great to be recognized by them.”

 

“Today during music time we had so much fun. There were so many singing, smiling parents and babies in the EC. It’s always fun to have an engaged crowd. Participation also always makes it a bit easier for us to sing.”

 

“Today I had a girl do a nature profile in the Nature Exchange. She was so enthusiastic about painted lady butterflies that are currently swarming Los Angeles. The girl told me all the reasons butterflies are the best insect around. We got to talk about our Butterfly Celebration and how she can also raise a butterfly. Her parent is excited to bring her back now for our butterfly season. I hope to see her again.”

 

These types of moments make our floor team smile. They make them feel really proud of their work with our guests. They make them feel joy. It’s the small moments in our days, the daily engagements that make Kidspace really special.

 

So whether you join us for a splash in the Interpretive Arroyo or take a lap on the Trike Tracks, we hope you find joy in the big and small moments at Kidspace.