Curiosity at the Museum

July 19, 2011

by Michelle McNally

Some museums are made with children in mind. Venues with the words "children museum" tells you that the things inside are meant to be touched, and chances are that everything will be at your child's eye level. Taking children to those kind of museums are easy. It may take more work to help your child engage in a  more "grown up" museum, one that doesn't have "please touch" at every exhibit.

Before You Go

Tell your child what kind of museum you'll be visiting. This is a good opening for discussing what a museum is, and what kinds of museums there are. Art museums and natural history museums  are just the beginning. There are also transportation museums, maritime museums and science museums. Once your child knows what kind of museum you'll be visiting, have him guess what types of exhibits he'll be able to see.

When You Get There

Help your kids know to look for. On a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, I put our children on the look out for trains, tractors, and airplanes. It helped keep them engaged in our walks from one part of the museum to another. A check list may be a fun way for your child to keep track of all that you plan to see that day. Giving your child a museum map will also help him discover what to look for along the way.

Follow your children. Kids aren't going to want to spend a lot of time at exhibits they can't see (things displayed out of their line of sight, which isn't very high, especially if they are in a stroller), or they don't understand. They may, however, take a shine to something you didn't expect. If you follow them, and do the museum at their pace, then they will be able to stop and see all they want to see.

Engage Them. If they are having a hard time focusing on anything, catch their attention and ask them a question. Questions such as "How do you think they got that dinosaur in here?" or "Do you think anyone ever has to climb up to the top of that sculpture to dust it?"may help them see the exhibits in a way they hadn't before. Check to see if the museum offers a special tour or program for families. Some venues have docents trained to talk to younger visitors, others have special guides you can take with you that highlight things of interest to families.

After Your Trip 

Have your child tell you his favorite parts of your visit. Write down what he says and have him draw a picture, or write captions for photos of the day. If it's a museum you may visit again, ask him what he'd like to see on his next visit! 

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