The Art Of Getting Young Imaginations Flowing

By Barbara F. Backer, M.Ed., early childhood consultant and former preschool teacher

Studies show that exposure to the arts helps kids build self-confidence, express their creativity, and perform better in math and reading. Visiting an art museum is a great experience to share as a family and a great way to introduce your children to the arts- hopefully fostering a greater appreciation of the arts in them as they develop.

Most people don't think of taking young children to an art museum. Children like to be active, so how could they possibly enjoy standing around and looking at paintings? With some advance planning, parents can find lots of excitement for their kids within the walls of an art museum.

Keep in mind that children learn through their senses and through interaction with their world, then plan an interactive experience for them. Choose from any of the following activities, or create some of your own.

As you walk into a room in the museum, scan the paintings and sculptures. Then use a variation of the I Spy game: "I spy a boat." "I spy something red." Your children will look carefully at the artwork while they try to find your item. Often children will find items that you didn't realize were there! This can expand your museum experience, so take turns spying and searching. Don't be surprised when your children have a different slant on art or on the museum experience.

Encourage your youngsters to play "mirror" games, assuming the positions of people they see in the paintings. Have them "assume" the identity of a person in a painting and tell a story about themselves. For landscapes or seascapes, your child can imagine what it would be like to be in that setting and describe the weather or tell what might happen there in 5 minutes. This activity will open their imaginations and creativity.

For one museum visit, take along a small mirror for each person and simple clipboards made of cardboard and paper clips. Add some plain paper, pencils, and erasers. Have your children look at a variety of portraits and discuss the shapes of the eyes, noses, and faces they see. Then give each child a mirror, paper, and pencil. Have the children study the shapes in their own faces and draw self-portraits.

For a quick and easy activity, have each child identify a color he or she is wearing. Now have the children find items of matching colors in the paintings in the room. Briefly talk about the paintings the children identify. You may also discover additional art treasures in the museum's gift shop. Postcards of the art found in the museum can be an inexpensive way to stimulate discussion of the trip. Museum guidebooks can be expensive, but they are a good investment if you are planning on return visits. The family can use them at home to become more familiar with artwork they will be seeing again.

Some museums have a special room where children can draw, build, and play. Your family can take frequent breaks in the museum's playroom if your children get restless. This will extend the time you can look at art, and help keep the focus on the children's needs. To ensure a successful museum visit, follow these tips:

1. Plan ahead. Decide what activity you and your children will do, and then bring along the necessary items.

2. If possible, visit the museum before you take your children. Plan activities around specific pictures.

3. If a museum has a "be quiet" policy, DON'T GO THERE!

4. Plan follow-up activities for when you return home.

5. Consider children's short attention spans and their ability to quickly become over-stimulated. Don't try to see everything in one day. It's best to have a great 30-minute experience that leaves everyone wanting to come back again.

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Barbara F. Backer is an author and contributor to Highlights for Children, Guideposts for Kids, Crayola Kids, Early Childhood News, and Woman's Day.

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