By Laura Vida - former primary school teacher
Ever wondered how to make an Art exhibition fun for kids? The secret is to keep them active. Especially if they are still at primary school. Give them something concrete to do and don’t stay for too long! You could also round the trip off with a trip to a local cafe or ice cream shop. Food always makes an experience even better and enables you to bond!
A few ideas:
Tip 1 - A camera
Give your child a (phone) camera. It’s usually fine to take photos without flash. (Just check with the attendant.) Suggest your child takes pictures of their favourite pieces. Afterwards (in the cafe?) you could discuss what they liked best and why.
Tip 2 - Pad and a pencil
Give your child their own blank sketchbook/notebook/pad and a pencil. Get them to jot down/draw their favourite parts of the exhibition e.g. people, bits of nature or objects. Make sure your child understands that this is just about making a visual diary, not being perfect or exact!
Tip 3 - Can you find .....
With young kids, play Hide-and-seek. e.g. Can you find 3 things beginning with ‘a’? Can you find any children in the paintings? How many can you find? (You might even wish to rewards their efforts!)
Tip 4 - Engage them
Ask your child to find a work they like. Then engage them in easy-going chat, allowing them to take the lead if possible. What do they like about the work? Why? Is it a painting or a drawing etc. What are the people doing? Why? Do they look happy? Do people look like this today? (Your child will inevitably ask you much better questions!)
Tip 5 - Use the information panel
If your child can read, you could draw their attention to the information panel beside a work. What does it tell them? Are they surprised? Could they write a better one?!
Tip 6 - For older children
With older children you could chat about what the artist is trying to say and why.
It helps to prepare
It helps to prepare a child for an exhibition/experience beforehand. Can you tell them a little about the artist and their life? (Just takes a little googling!) Give them something to anticipate and try to build up excitement if you can! You really don’t need to be an expert.