With the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, many parents are interested in exposing their kids to become more acquainted with art, but museums can be intimidating. Yalla presents five magic tips to help you and your preschoolers through teens have an amazing experience with art.
Do your kids race through museum galleries with barely a glimpse at the art? If so, you are experiencing a common problem that has a few simple solutions. A bit of advance preparation can help parents give their children pause for reflection, a puzzle to solve and a connection to make with a masterpiece that can turn any interaction with art into a more positive experience. While your children may not become art aficionados in one visit, they just might just find something that inspires their imaginations.
The key is to help your children draw connections and to weave in what they already know about the world to the new things they’re seeing. Every artifact and artwork carry a secret past. Kids would love to visit the museum if the artifacts can be brought to life. All that takes is a little prep work and excitement.
Start With Yourself
If you want your children to appreciate art, learn to love it yourself first and the experience will be more rewarding for everyone. Display your child’s artwork around your home. Deck the walls with professional and homemade art and share your own connection to the art: why you chose the piece and how it speaks to you. Convey that each person experiences art differently. Help your kids realize that as they grow art may play an important role in their life experience.
Maybe you don’t honestly enjoy art that much, or you feel intimidated by your lack of knowledge on the subject. That’s okay! The first step is to admit that and then take some steps to learn more about art. Try your hand at making it and get in touch with your creative side. Discover art that touches your heart, and then share that discovery with your kids.
Educate Yourselves About Specific Artwork
When planning a trip to a museum or gallery, take a few minutes to check the museum’s website and discover what artwork will be on display or what special exhibition is on.
Learn a bit about the art in that particular museum before you go. Choose a few artworks to study and discuss with your children ahead of time. Print out photos of your favoured pieces and read out loud what they’re about and why they’re meaningful. Learn about the artists and what was happening in the world at the time in history and how events may have influenced the art they created.
This will help your children connect to the work in advance. When you get to the museum, this connection will be dramatically strengthened when they encounter the work in person.
Place Art in History
Most art is old and that makes it seem harder to relate to. Find something in history that your kids are interested in and place art in the same context. Museums, such as the Louvre Abu Dhabi, tell the story of humanity through a collection of artwork that dates back to 6th century BC through to the present, so it’s not hard to find artwork that will resonate with everyone.
Talk to your kids. Find a historical period that they’ve studied or expressed some interest in. Seek out artwork that might have been created in that period and make the connection of what was happening in the world of the artist that might have inspired the artwork.
Let Life Imitate Art
Though museums are serious places, there’s no reason you can’t have a little careful fun with your kids in them. From a safe distance to the artwork, ask your kids to mimic it. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and imitating the art they see is a fun way for kids to appreciate it.
The kids have to look at the art pretty closely in order to act it out, which will encourage them to learn and absorb the details without even realizing it.
Be sure to take pictures of them doing it. Shots like this make great memories and help kids really connect to the artwork. Do check the museum’s rules about photography first though as a few prohibit it. Most simply ask you to turn off your camera’s flash.
Be Art Makers as well as Viewers
Photography is an art. So, assuming photography is permitted in your museum, let your kids be artists themselves. Encourage them to look through the lens, to consciously frame their photos and find the most appealing angle. Also, many museums, like the Louvre Abu Dhabi, have attached Children’s Museum where kids can have a meaningful experience with art in a more hands on setting. Visit the Children’s Museums and enjoy kids friendly programming and workshops.
