Come PLAY with us! At CML, children can climb aboard a Lowcountry pirate ship, race golf balls down a roller coaster, or create inspired masterpieces every day in the Art Room. Play inspires creativity and encourages lifelong exploration of the world around us. PLAY Guides enhance the exhibit experience by monitoring safety and assisting visitors, but, most importantly, PLAY and facilitate positive learning experiences in the Museum interactives.

Volunteers in this role are reliable, independent, outgoing, comfortable speaking with children and their grown-ups and have a desire to work with young children. PLAY Guides represent the Museum and are expected to be professional and courteous.

PLAY Guides commit to two-hour shifts that occur during operation hours (Thursday- Saturday from 9:30am  – 5pm; Sunday from 12pm – 5pm). Successful completion of a Volunteer Training Session, a background check (if 16 or older) and a commitment of at least 20 hours are required.

The Children’s Museum is open from 10:00am – 12:00pm on the second and fourth Sundays of every month exclusively for children with special needs and their families to visit the Museum for FREE. Children are able to explore and play in the Museum without the crowds and over-stimulation.

Volunteers with experience working with children with special needs as well as volunteers who have special needs themselves are welcome. Volunteers will serve as PLAY Guides and help facilitate play for our families.

Learn more about SuperStars! here: https://explorecml.org/happening-at-cml/programs/cml-superstars/

Be active, be green! Come explore the organic garden at CML. We have native plants to see, touch, smell and taste. Green Gurus can interact with children and their grown-ups or work behind the scenes keeping the Garden beautiful. Encourage children to pick herbs to take home for dinner, go on a bug hunt or pick some papyrus grass to use as a paintbrush. Green Gurus may challenge visitors to old-fashioned games such as hop-scotch or four-square or create structures with a giant set of wooden blocks!

Prefer helping to maintain the Garden? Green Gurus are needed to water, trim and maintain the plants.

Volunteers in this role are reliable, independent and enjoy gardening. Green Gurus can be quiet and relaxed while maintaining the Garden or energetic, comfortable speaking with children and their grown-ups and willing to engage our visitors during PLAY. Green Gurus represent CML and are expected to be professional and courteous.

Green Gurus wanting to interact with visitors commit to two-hour shifts that occur during operating hours (Thursday- Saturday from 9:30am – 5pm; Sunday from 12pm – 5pm).  Green Gurus wanting to help maintain the Garden are needed on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays.

Successful completion of a Volunteer Training Session and background check (if 16 or older) and a commitment of at least 20 hours are required. Successful completion of a background check (if 16 or older) is required.

We can’t PLAY unless CML is safe and clean! Handy Helpers assist in the cleaning and maintenance of CML interactives on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Wednesdays. Handy Helpers may be needed during interactive transitions and renovations.

Volunteers in this role are reliable, flexible, independent, help with the general upkeep of the interactives and assist with repairing and moving exhibit structures. Handy Helpers typically have a general knowledge of construction or repair work or enjoy cleaning. The ability to engage in physical activity is required. Handy Helpers are expected to be professional and courteous.

Successful completion of a background check (if 16 or older) is required.

Not available during business operating hours, but still want to volunteer at CML? Join our Rock Stars of Special Events volunteers and assist with weekend and evening gatherings, fundraisers, outreach events and festival throughout the year! We have so much fun at our annual events such as FAM JAM and Noon Year’s Eve! Rock Stars work directly with the event planning team to assist with set-up and break down and to ensure smooth delivery of special events.

Volunteers in this role are reliable, independent, outgoing, comfortable speaking with children and their grown-ups and are willing to engage all families. General CML knowledge is helpful but not required. Rock Stars are expected to be professional and courteous. Special Events are scheduled in advance and are often on weekends or during evening hours.

Successful completion of a Volunteer Training Session and background check (if 16 or older) are required.

CML offers a variety of camps during school breaks. Junior Camp Counselors help make the camp experience special for our little campers (ages 3 – 10) by providing assistance with themed camp activities, arrival and dismissal of campers, lunch and PLAY throughout CML! A Senior Camp Counselor is always on-hand to offer guidance and support.

Volunteers in this role are reliable and outgoing and can handle multiple environments (outside, CML interactives and the CML Camp Room) with ease. Patience and a desire to work with children are required. Junior Camp Counselors represent CML and are expected to be professional and courteous. Camps are typically offered during Thanksgiving, winter, spring and summer breaks. Summer Camps are week-long and Junior Camp Counselors commit to full weeks (Monday – Friday from 8:15am – 12:45pm or Monday – Friday from 12:15pm – 4:45pm).

Successful completion of a Volunteer Training Session and background check (if 16 or older) are required.

In 2021, we made over 14,000 bags and we need your help to make that happen! Groups or individuals can help make the components that go in the bag or assemble large quantities. An example can be one person cutting yarn, rolling tape, or dividing egg cartons or a group putting those pieces in 1000 brown bags so they are ready to go into local schools.

Learn more about Brown Bags here: https://explorecml.org/brown-bag-stem-challenge.