Are you passionate about working with children, outdoor education, and the power of play?
Are you an educator or academic program coordinator looking to provide your students with meaningful, hands-on fieldwork experiences?
Mud Kitchen Kids welcomes individual students and educational programs interested in gaining practical experience supporting children's development in a unique outdoor, play-based environment.
Our internship opportunities are ideal for students pursuing careers in occupational therapy, physical therapy, physical education, speech-language pathology, early childhood education, child development, kinesiology, psychology, and related fields.
What Will You Experience?
Working alongside a licensed pediatric occupational therapist, interns have opportunities to:
- Support children's exploration, creativity, and social interactions through child-led play.
- Observe how occupational therapy principles inform developmental programming.
- Assist with program preparation, activities, and maintaining the outdoor play environment.
- Gain experience supporting children with diverse developmental needs and abilities.
Additional Benefits
In addition to gaining hands-on experience, interns may have opportunities to:
- Access a dedicated Google Classroom filled with educational resources designed to deepen their understanding of child development, sensory processing, and play-based learning.
- Participate in post-session discussions to reflect on observations, ask questions, share insights, and deepen their learning.
- Earn documented observation or experience hours that may support applications to occupational therapy and other graduate programs, subject to individual program requirements.
- Receive a letter of recommendation based on demonstrated commitment, professionalism, and performance.
- Build professional connections and potentially receive employment references for future opportunities.
When Are Internships Available?
Internship opportunities are generally available during our summer and fall Mud Kitchen Kids programs. Availability varies depending on program schedules and staffing needs.
Important Information
Internship opportunities are offered through Mud Kitchen Kids developmental enrichment programs, not individual occupational therapy sessions.
Interns assist under the direction of a licensed occupational therapist. They do not provide occupational therapy services or independently supervise children.
Boise Outdoor OT does not currently offer observation or shadowing opportunities for individual occupational therapy sessions.
Interested in Joining Us?
We'd love to hear from you!
We’re not accepting internship applications just yet. Please check back for updates.