2026-06-07 Miami Three Acts Good Summer Camp: Children Become Characters from Zootopia

To welcome the arrival of summer vacation, the Miami Youth Group held a three-day “Three Acts Good Children’s Summer Camp” at the temple from June 5 to 7, attracting 25 children between the ages of 4 and 12. This year’s camp was themed around the popular animated film Zootopia 2, creatively combining the movie’s story with character and life education. Through fun and engaging activities, the children were naturally introduced to the spirit of the Three Acts of Goodness.

Venerable Ru Yuan, abbot of the temple, attended the opening ceremony to show his support for the camp. He first thanked the more than 20 Youth Group members and volunteers who had devoted over two months to planning the program and creating a fun and enriching start to the children’s summer vacation. He also encouraged the children to practice the Three Acts of Goodness in their daily lives: do good deeds, speak good words, and think good thoughts, allowing seeds of kindness to take root and grow in their hearts.

To provide the best possible experience, the Youth Group divided the campers into three teams according to age, naming them after characters from the film: Gary, Judy, and Nick. Icebreaker activities helped children who had never met before quickly become comfortable with one another. They then built teamwork and camaraderie through a treasure hunt, trivia games, and animal-themed keychain crafts.

The three-day program offered a lively balance of active and reflective activities. During the Popsicle Making session, the children mixed their favorite flavors and eagerly awaited their refreshing creations. The energetic Water Tag activity had them running and laughing under the sun, enjoying the simple joy of play.

In contrast, the Walking Meditation session invited the children to slow their steps, settle their playful minds, and learn to experience the present moment with greater calm and awareness. Through alternating between energetic and quiet activities, the children learned to cultivate a sense of inner stability and mindfulness. One of the camp’s biggest challenges was the Escape Room, where participants worked together to solve puzzles using teamwork and logical thinking while developing their problem-solving skills.

Environmental education was also thoughtfully incorporated into the program. The Save the Earth activity highlighted the importance of environmental protection, while Habitat Making allowed the children to create models of animal habitats with their own hands. Through these hands-on experiences, they learned to respect living beings and appreciate the importance of protecting ecosystems.

At the closing ceremony, the children, guided by the Youth Group, presented a lively drama showcasing what they had learned over the three days and invited their parents to join the celebration. The camp received an enthusiastic response from families. Sister Chen Wen-Chin, whose six grandchildren all participated in the camp, was deeply moved and shared that it had been a long time since she had seen the children display such joyful and innocent smiles. She felt that the children had gained tremendously from their time at the temple, while the parents had benefited as well. She expressed hope that future camps could be extended to allow the warmth and positive energy of the experience to continue even longer.

The summer camp not only created wonderful memories for the children, but also successfully planted the spirit of the Three Acts of Goodness deep in their hearts. The hope is that this positive energy will accompany them as they return to their everyday lives, inspiring them to become young practitioners who put the Three Acts of Goodness into action.