Suddenly a little one appeared, “Mister Jaime, I can hide under … your table?” I answered “Absolutely! And here, use my sweater to cover you. That way it’s harder to find you.”
“Thank you, Mister Jaime,” he replied.
One minute later, I heard a big “aahhhh” and “Sofia, I see you,” followed it. The next 30 seconds were full of continuous yelling and running. Meanwhile, the little kid hiding under the table listened quietly, feeling very secure in his possibility of winning.
The kid who was “it” came to my desk near the little one’s hiding place. He was very excited about the game and was doing a really great job. He had found almost everyone! The rule was that the last kid to be found was the winner and was the next one to be “it,” so the stakes were high! He took a quick look under my table and left. I smiled. Two minutes later, a couple of kids were found and the game was over. My little hider had won!
To me, this moment is what the Urban Ecology Center is about. Playing Hide and Seek in a safe place is a memory commonly passed down and told to children by children. In this same way, we want to create experiences that are talked about and taught from child to child, becoming living memories inside of them all.
The Menomonee Valley branch, like the little kid under my desk, is hidden, like a precious stone that has to be found, but once it’s found — it’s a winner. It’s a place for fun, excitement, learning and unity. A place where generations and generations of visitors, Young Scientists and volunteers can enjoy and share with each other and their loved ones. And most importantly, it’s a place where they can come back, a place where they are always welcome and at home.
