Growing up, my parents took me to museums. For me, it was a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, I have always gravitated toward Art and loved seeing beautiful things. It was inspiring.
On the other hand, I remember often feeling bored, especially when I was looking at Art that didn't captivate me at the time (I'm looking at you Impressionists). Our pace, dictated by my mother reading every single sign, was a crawl. I found myself pacing around rooms like a caged animal.
So this year, as I've started taking the kids to museums, I'm determined to put all my childhood memories to good use. And I have approached the idea of museums with a level of mindfulness and preparation that has been paying off. I'm playing the long game - one where my child falls in love with the experience. Here's the strategies that I've focused on:
MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE AT
Your child only wants to look at Art for five minutes - that's ok. In fact, it's more than ok, it's great! That's five minutes of exposure to an environment that isn't really set up for kids. It's five minutes of looking at Art. Five minutes of seeing how people move through and interact with the space.
We're playing the long game here, so we know that five minutes will turn into ten minutes. Before long, the kid who isn't pushed too hard will likely find their own way to a happy relationship with museums.
I do a quick check in with myself before we enter any museum, making sure I have the right mindset. If I'm not ready to embrace whatever my kids offer up, then I simply take us all for a short stroll and reset myself.
PREPARE WITH SOCIAL STORIES AND PLAY
Kids make sense of their world and work out so many big concepts through storytelling and play. So, before heading out the door, spend a little time getting used to the idea of museums by using these strategies.
The day before we are going out on a museum adventure, I bring out blocks, Magna-Tiles, peg people, and pictures of art. Then I ask Rémy and Sierra to build me a museum. At this point, they know what they want to build. But before we had visited different museums, I would build something up and point out all the features I wanted us to think about.
We then take the peg people through the whole experience of going to a museum. I make sure to bring up some of the important ideas that will help make our real trip to the museum a success.
REVIEW EXPECTATIONS
Part of our play is going over expectations in a fun, non threatening way. Is that peg person trying to touch the art? "Better step back!" says the museum worker.
The kids are primed and ready to feel comfortable with the expectations that come with visiting a museum. A friendly review right before entering reminds everyone where the boundaries are. Here are the expectations that I like to repeat:
Stay with Mama at all times. If you are having trouble with this, you can hold my hand to help.
Look at all the Art with your eyes only.
Quiet voices while inside.
Let me know as soon as you are ready to move on or leave.
NO LECTURES
Look, I was an Art History major - there's nothing I like more than a lengthy lecture on how an artist was influenced by the cultural and political atmosphere of their time. It's my jam. But for kids, not so much.
While at the museum, I ask what they see, and answer any burning questions they may have, but for the most part, I like to stay out of their way. I try my best to share information about the artist, materials, techniques, and all the other goodies that can lend context to their museum trip through storytelling, play, and projects. Which brings me to my next point...
BUILD A TRIP AROUND AN ARTIST
Do a little research before hand and find an artist or piece of art that you are excited to show your kids. Then, find a few fun ways to build anticipation around the event.
For example, before our last museum visit, we spent a week telling and retelling a story about Kehinde Wiley. We looked through a book filled with his pictures. We did a portrait vs still life vs landscape sort. And by the time the kids went to visit the museum, they were truly excited to see a Kehinde Wiley painting.
EAT, PLAY, LOVE
Make sure that all of their need buckets are filled up before embarking on the museum adventure. The kids need to be watered and snacked. I also highly recommend hitting up a park close by so they can move their bodies before hand. For us, this is essential.
I also try my best to find a few moments of connection before heading into the museum. If my children feel seen and loved, they are ready to tackle new and sometimes difficult situations. If there is tension or stress there, it's gonna be a struggle for everyone.
END ON A HIGH
Don't stay too long at this party. Even if your child is crushing it and loving every minute. Trust me, there will come a point where it becomes boring, overwhelming, or tiring. Better to cut it a bit short and end on a high note.
SKETCH
We aren't quite here yet, but with kids who are slightly older (starting around age 5 or 6), setting up a sketch station is a great way to focus attention and get your child to really look.
This time honored tradition will provide little museum goers with a sense of purpose, help develop their observational drawing skills, get them to dig deeper into images, and prime them for conversations about what they see.
If possible, I recommend carrying a large sketch pad (at least 8.5"x11"), as younger children tend to have an easier time with larger drawing surfaces. As they get older, having them carry around a lovely little Moleskine is perfect. They can stop to record anything they see, as well as capture any original ideas sparked during the museum visit.
FUN AND GAMES
After your kids are comfortable with museum visits, and consistently demonstrate they understand the norms of behavior that come with the adventure, then you might want to spice things up with a few games.
Although it may take a bit of preparation, creating a scavenger hunt is a fantastic way to cover a lot of ground in a museum. It's also a great way to practice critical thinking and map reading skills. If you're feeling generous, perhaps a museum store prize may await the person who was the first to find the most items.
Storytelling games are also a great way to engage with different pieces of art. For younger children, ask them to come up with a story that relates to a particular picture. And for older kids, you can pick three or four works of Art, challenging them to weave together the images into one cohesive story.
BUSY HANDS
Fidgeting tends to sharpen focus and relieve tension, so it makes a lot of sense for children to carry something in their hands while encountering a situation that requires a lot of concentration and patience.
Let your child bring along a doll, little animal, or fidget so that they can hold onto something and move it in their hands. Many of these things serve as comfort items, so they can ground your child in a strange environment as well.
These are the little tricks and strategies that have been working for us, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. Let me know what's been working for you!
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