Summer means no school, but it doesn’t have to mean no learning. In fact, it is the perfect season to take kids to the museums they don’t have time to see during the school year. A trip to a museum will be much different for a Kindergarten student than it will be for a 4th grader, so it is important to choose activities and exhibits that are age-level appropriate.
The Chicago Children’s Museum offers tips on how to make the most of a child’s cultural experiences. Interactive performances often held at museums, such as music, theater and dance, are a perfect way to develop a child’s imagination - and attention span. Look for an event that encourages audience participation, where the child will be moving and singing along. This level of interaction also empowers them by including them in the creative process, such as helping characters to solve problems in a play.
Prepare the child for a museum visit by reminding them of past experiences with museums so they know what to expect and by showing them how to walk respectfully through the exhibits. After the visit, ask open-ended questions to help them recall what they saw and felt to avoid one-word responses when you ask if they had fun.
Many museums (especially children’s museums) have special, interactive exhibits for children in addition to their permanent collections. When creating artwork, encourage kids to take risks and explore new ideas. Instead of trying to interpret their artwork, ask the children themselves what they would like to share about the art. Help them start a sketchbook to record ideas and track progress, but most importantly, let them be guided by their own curiosity.
Science museums focus more on educating than creating. Good ones will have plenty of resources to keep a child’s attention, from telescopes to outdoor playgrounds. If the older kids protest at the mention of a museum, don’t be discouraged — remind them that there are plenty of other activities that a museum visit involves. Most have restaurants and gift stores nearby, and many science museums even have Imax theaters.
To get the museum experience at home, try some of these interactive sites designed to educate and entertain kids:
--- O. Ware
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