Covenant Christian Academy Blog

Never miss an update! Subscribe to our blog.

Smart Tips for Visiting Museums with Children

Posted by Jada Wright-Greene on Mar 6, 2018 9:32:00 AM
tips for going to museums with children
 
I am a lover of museums. My love runs deep where I could spend many hours reading every label in the building. Now that I am a mom of three, it is nearly impossible to visit a museum and take in every piece of information I encounter. I quickly learned after my first visit with my children that I have to develop strategies and tools to make the experience enjoyable for them. I can honestly say this may not always work, but I have discovered utilizing some of these tools helped me have a fun day with my little ones. Before your next visit this spring or summer, check out these simple tips.
 
1. Introduce the museum to your kids. Before loading up in the car to head out, start talking about the museum. Take a few days and share some of the great things they will see. Go online and show them the website, find out what fun things they like and build excitement in their minds. This helps tremendously in preparing their minds for a new adventure.
 
2. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. More than likely you will do quite a bit of walking and moving around in a museum. Be sure you wear comfortable shoes and your kiddos have on comfortable clothes. I don’t recommend dressing for the runway when adding a day full of walking and learning.
 
 3. Pack the camera. We have entered the era of technology and everything is about smart phones and tablets. Our children learn technology quickly and they love the camera. Pull out that camera phone and allow them to capture a few photos. Let them choose what to capture and where. Keeping them involved will capture their attention.  Before taking any picture, confirm with museum staff that photos are allowed.
 
4. Research. Research the exhibitions, programs, and events at the museum. Many museums have educational programs, scavenger hunts, or exhibitions geared towards children. Most museums have family day or something to entice the entire family to visit. Research their website and other sites that may have activities or coupons to attract your child’s interest.
 tips for museum visits with children
 
5. Make a day of the visit. Pack a lunch, notepads, and all types of fun things they may want to do. Visit a floor of the museum, take a break and eat or visit their outdoor area. Most museums have a park or some type of green space within the vicinity of the institution. Encourage your children to draw or write about the things they see. After our visit, I would have my older children write in their journals about what they saw.
 
6. Look for the children's area or "hands-on" area. Children are very curious. They use their hands, eyes, and ears to explore and learn. Check your local area for a kids’ museum or hands-on area in the local museum. Museums are quickly shifting towards “play areas” or “hands-on exhibitions” that give children the opportunity to be free, not in a rigid, stuffy environment.
 
These are a few of the tips I found to be helpful when I visit museums with my kids. They began to love the places we visit because of the anticipation of fun, excitement and adventure they will experience which I build inside of them before we visit. The most important thing to remember is to have fun and enjoy the time you have introducing them to new and exhilarating things!
 
New Call-to-action

Topics: Parenting, Education