My 11 year old daughter has been dragged into many museums over the years. Her father is an artist and I am a visual arts teacher. When she was little, we were able to extend her visits by making her toddle around the atrium, or by slowly dispensing pirate loot and M&M’s when desperate. I was.
But as she grew up, her drive was not so easily won, and her reaction to planning a museum trip was, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! It has become a reaction full of. Instead of hanging out with her friends or watching movies, she thought of spending a few hours “just looking at things,” making going to museums difficult.
Our family is currently living in Italy on vacation for a year, visiting many historical buildings, museums and churches. So with our preteens, he used seven creative strategies to make travel less of a struggle. Sometimes she even admits to having fun.
1. Eat first so your experience doesn’t end when you arrive.
Last week, we made the mistake of heading to Venice’s Doge’s Palace before having a proper meal.her daughter and i got into an argument Vaporetto Get on the (water bus). Then we argued during the walk to Piazza San Marco and continued walking even after entering the palace, a medieval fortress. Her husband Andy, who was waiting for us there, took one look at the two of us and suggested that the museum cafe might be a reasonable first stop for her. We grudgingly yielded and took our seats at a corner table for water and snacks. We all showed up feeling better and ended up with a great visit.
2. Don’t try to see everything.
When I was young, I thought that going to an art museum meant taking a hard walk while seriously looking at each exhibit. But now I realize that I can get just as much out of spending so much time looking at one painting. change my expectations — more depth than width — It made my experience even more enjoyable. My goal is not to conquer museums, but to observe what drives me or resists. I have passed this philosophy on to her daughter.
3. Give your child a cell phone camera.
If your child is limping or becoming restless, give them your phone camera to refocus their attention. You can take pictures of anything that interests them and you can give them challenges. Some examples: If possible, take pictures of the artwork you want to hang in your bedroom. Snap a picture of the weirdest face you can find. Take 3 pictures using green.
4. Rumors about artists.
As an art teacher, I have spent 20 years trying to get teens interested in art history. It’s the most fascinating, most shocking, most endearing details about the artist’s life that always fascinate them. Humanizing the artist will bring the work to life, so do a little research beforehand and share the story if you want.
5. Bring me a piece of paper and a pencil.
There will always come a time when one of us needs to rest our feet. Then I sit down and get out my sketchbook and pencils. It doesn’t matter what we draw. It can be a reaction to a painting or sculptural sketch, or simply scribbling in the work of a historically significant graffiti artist.
6. When in doubt, play a game together.
Below are three.
* Choose the clothes you want to wear the most and the clothes you don’t want to wear very often.
* Find the ugliest paintings/sculptures/photos etc. Discuss why it should be removed from the premises immediately.
* Bet on which artwork is worth the most money. Guess who won and pay!
7. And finally, don’t feel pressured. it should be fun.
Don’t feel obligated to stay too long or visit multiple museums in one day. Afterwards, reward the children and yourself with ice cream or tea, and gossip about how the experience was fun and not too much trouble. If you don’t like museums, don’t go. Spend time doing what you love and pass that passion on to your children.
Bell Chessler I am a writer, educator, and artist based in Portland, Oregon. She is currently on vacation in Venice, Italy with her family for a year. She can subscribe to her newsletter. Note from LagoonIf you don’t mind.
How cute is this proposal at the Touch Tour of the PS Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art?
(Photo courtesy: Nicky Sebastian. )
