Tuesdays are for Toddlers: Gone Modern!

Today’s post is going where most parents dread to go: Modern Art museums.

This isn’t your normal art. Sometimes it’s hard to understand, and sometimes you won’t really see it as art. In an article titled “Three questions not to ask about art – and four to ask instead“, Messham-Muir covers the in-depth part of this blog post for adults. But as toddlers are different creatures all together, it seems only fair to make a Modern Art based piece for the littler hands out in the world.

Modern Art is just a different way of looking at or expressing the world, emotions, and theories around the artist. It can follow any number of artistic styles or movements, and usually requires some form of understanding of time period or background of the artist. Because of this, it isn’t always easy to interpret or understand at first glance. But, toddlers have a way of either hitting the nail on the head or, in some instances, coming up with absolutely priceless answers. Asking your little one what they see or what they think it means in a Modern Art museum can be the most fun you’ll have all day, even if they don’t understand why you’re refraining from giggling. And while you may look at some pieces and think to yourself “my kid could paint something better than that”, remember that there’s more going on in the piece than is immediately apparent.

Abstract art is probably my favorite type because I can’t realistically draw what I see in front of me (my husband is an artist. It gets frustrating when he says I could draw if I tried hard enough), but I can put it into my own shapes and colors. If you happen to live near a large Modern Art museum (Museum of Modern Art in New York, for example, or the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth; some museums use the word Contemporary such as the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, though Contemporary Art and Modern Art are not the same thing entirely), check out what they have to offer in terms of exhibits or themes for the season. Some art museums mix styles based on region if they have a long spanning history of resident artists. The Andy Warhol Museum http://www.warhol.org/ is a Modern Art museum dedicated to the work of one artist and those that followed in his style.

Ness’ son created this raised salt art project. What do you think? Try creating raised salt paintings of your own!

If you don’t live near a large city with a Modern Art museum, have no fear! Several larger Modern Art museums have digital tours available online or offer some means for visitors from out of town to access their collection in some means! And of course, you can always create your own Modern Art museum in your house with creations from your little one. One fun project (that actually combines science, because I’m a sucker for science that’s also art) is raised salt painting. Over at OnePerfectDay Blog, Ness has tips and instructions for creating your very own raised salt painting to hang throughout your house.

Finding the Subject in the Material

Every day there’s an opportunity to see the subject in the material. This picture is the perfect example: we weren’t looking for an art shot on our historic meander, but we found one.

Museums and schools have had a long symbiotic relationship that has recently been put on the rocks.  Schools these days are severely underfunded when it comes to field trips, making teachers focus on getting the most out of every trip taken in a year. Museums, in turn, have had to move towards a more formal look at their classes and offerings for schools in order to satisfy local and state curriculum and education standards. Thus, we have the subject of today’s post: finding the subject in the material.

What does that even mean? Don’t you usually write the material for the subject? Yes and no. If you go into a museum with the subject in mind, you may not get as full of a field trip or visit as you’d like. But if you go into a museum with the material in mind, the subjects are endless.

Take, for example, a natural history museum. Rocks, minerals, animals, maybe even dinosaurs (anyone that says they don’t like dinosaurs is probably lying, FYI). If you look at it as just a chance to study fossils or the natural environment, you may miss out on the opportunity to discuss texture, history, human impact, or mathematics (think word problems). If you go into an art museum expecting to only discuss art, you’re missing out on mathematics, politics, world cultures, literature, mythology, world religions, history, and science, as well as psychology and personal development (to name a few).

All museums offer something beyond what’s described or pictured on the surface.  And visitors from different backgrounds will take away different meanings and relationships from the same objects. Teachers have a hard enough time teaching in a classroom; museums give them a chance to teach a bunch of subjects to a bunch of individuals who may not always feel a personal connection to a subject in school. Suddenly that student may have the chance to create a potentially lasting relationship with a subject because they now see it in a different light. You never know what will be the initial spark to someone’s fire.

In grad school, we were required to write lesson plans for potential activities that fit state educational and learning objectives. Our professor told us to write the activities and lesson plans and then find the objectives that met them, rather than read the objectives and write plans that fit them. So now I offer that challenge to you, readers.

This post isn’t just for teachers or parents. This is your personal challenge this weekend to visit a museum you’ve never been to before with no pre-conceived subject in mind, and see what the material presents to you. Find the subject in the material.

Tuesdays are for Toddlers: Blinded with Science!

Welcome back for another edition of Tuesdays are for Toddlers! Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and took time to appreciate the last official weekend of Summer. Now, we’re on to the Fall, and Seasons may just be covered by our venue of choice: Science Museums!

Science museums across the country are fantastic sources of learning and knowledge for toddlers and young children for one big reason: tactile experience. Science museums focus on the hands-on portion of learning. Many include interactive displays that go beyond bright lights and button pushing and actually demonstrate complex principles of physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and geology in ways that kids can relate to. Movement and tactile experiences are phenomenal learning tools for toddlers, and helps them develop fine and gross motor skills at the same time. Even better? It may mean some quiet time later when they wear themselves out doing all the activities a science museum has to offer.

Personally, some of my favorite memories from childhood were spent in the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington. They had everything from moving dinosaur displays to kinesiology experiments, weather and tides to how the body works. They also offer educational and entertaining IMAX movie experiences, and laser shows for adults later in the evening. The Perot Museum of Nature and Science (formerly the Museum of Nature and Science at Fair Park) in Dallas, Texas is another such place, and every time I would go to visit family, it was one of my favorite destinations.

It isn’t hard to engage a toddler’s mind in a science museum. Explain what they’re seeing and doing and get involved in the experiment with them. Seeing that you are also engaged, even if you already know how to do it and what it means, will increase their interest in it and make the lesson stick. If the science museum you’re visiting has dinosaurs, talk about their size and what they ate and how they would have lived. Get messy; if there’s sand or water or paint, join in and answer questions. Play with the displays and if they’re really enjoying one particular type of display or one subject area, stop by the library on the way home and check out some books to read together later.

Photo by Liesl Den: Earth Science: Plate Movements & Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Mountain-Making (while it says for 2nd Grade, it can definitely be adapted for Toddlers and Pre-K).

For a fun food related activity that can help reinforce what they learn at the science center, head over to the Homeschool Den by Liesl Den (now located at Parents.com) and see what she has to offer for fun ideas and ways to bring science experiments and other subjects into the home!

For another educational source for science experiments at home, visit Science-Sparks, where they have experiments from loads of subjects for all age groups, including Preschool!

Tuesdays are for Toddlers: Gone Wild!

Today’s edition of Tuesdays are for Toddlers is going back to nature: National Park style.

Fern Lake, Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo Credit: National Park Service Rocky Mountain National Park

The National Park Service has been around since 1916 and was founded by President Theodore Roosevelt to preserve natural areas that represent American beauty and majesty. After the establishment of Yellowstone National Park as the flagship park, the Service came to include Parks like Yosemite, Glacier, the Grand Canyon, and many more. These parks are full of recreational activities and learning opportunities from hiking, camping, nature watching, and educational tours and camps. Exploring nature with your toddler can be really rewarding and beneficial for both your child and nature.

Before going to a National Park, talk about what makes the country beautiful. Talk about the song “America the Beautiful”, written by Katharine Lee Bates and composed by Samuel Ward, and how it describes America’s landscapes. Discuss the animals that may be found in the area and what they like to eat. Remind them to not feed the animals, as they can change and become too comfortable with people.

When at the parks, enjoy nature walks and talk about the things they see and feel: what’s the weather like? What do the trees smell like? What colors can they see in the rocks and mountains? Some National Parks, like the Grand Canyon, have not only natural beauty but are also religiously and culturally important landmarks for American Indians. You may find ruins and petroglyphs (or pictographs) that show what life consisted of for the peoples living there. Bring paper and crayons or colored pencils with you and encourage your toddler to draw their daily life in pictures like the ones they see.

For a fun activity, try playing with air dry clay and make bowls and cups. Once the clay has dried, you can paint them in different designs and colors. And, to help with understanding the world, visit UNESCO’s website listing World Heritage Sites and discover culturally, naturally, scientifically, and aesthetically important sites around the world. These sites are chosen because of their inherent importance to human culture, not just one nation. Talk about these sites and if available, take a photographic tour of the areas. Pick a country you’ve always wanted to go to and dream with your toddler about the culture and the people.

In the news recently? 6 New World Heritage Sites have been selected and added to the list! 

Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex WIKIMEDIA COMMONS/BUI THE TAM

To Innovate or Get Back to the Basics, or Maybe Both?

Museums ‘should provide more hands-on experiences for children’; Museums should focus on providing real experiences like handling objects and dressing up as historical characters Photo: GETTY

Recently a group I follow on Facebook shared an article that really struck a note with me personally and professionally, as this blog is sort of a statement to the influences of technology. A group in the UK, Kids in Museums, has published a “manifesto” that gets down to one point: kids aren’t impressed by the flashing lights and technological interactive displays that museums have to offer, and museums should be focusing on a more hands-on approach to learning. You can read the full article here, but in the meantime, let’s discuss the brass tacks of this discussion, as it’s been one battle fought in the background in museums across the country for the last 20 years.

Technology has its place in museums, and I hope that my readers don’t feel like I’m attacking the use of it in museums. But most educational toys nowadays have more flashing lights and impressive sounds than a person can shake a stick at (that’s actually a lot of fun, by the way, shaking a stick); the interactive displays and technicolor lighting in some exhibits just doesn’t begin to entrance and enlighten children as much as it used to. Here’s the thing: kids still love dress up, they still love interacting with their surroundings and creating personal experiences and memories and learning in their own unique ways.

Living history museums like the Colonial Williamsburg Museum in Virginia focus on allowing children to interact with period actors and learn about the past through hands-on activities and personal discovery. Living history museums focus on a personal experience with historical materials to bring home the lessons of the past to help the future. Again, technology has its place in museums, but the true value of hands-on learning can’t be underestimated.

What do you think? Should museums focus on a more hands-on approach to their collections and displays, or should they keep the “please don’t touch” signs in place? What suggestions do you have for your local museums and historical societies to increase audience learning and visitor educational opportunities?

If you’re interested in more hands-on history opportunities, please feel free to check out a list of open air and living history museums on wikipedia. While not a complete list by any means, it is constantly being updated and can provide your next educational opportunity in the world of museums!

Tuesdays are for Toddlers: swimming with the fish!

Since we covered zoos last week, we’re going to take it to the water this week and explore another type of living collection that’s making waves: Aquariums!

Much like zoos, aquariums preserve, research, and collect aquatic species from around the world and in that region. Some of these species are rare or endangered, while others are quite common; the thing is, we haven’t even explored that much of the ocean to know for sure. Sharks are one of the few types of fish that researchers can say for certain are endangered because of their interactions with humans throughout history. Manned deep sea explorations are expensive and dangerous because of the type of equipment needed and the risks involved with pressure effects on the human body.

On March 26, 2012, James Cameron piloted the second manned mission to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK THIESSEN, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Aquariums show a different part of the world that most of us won’t have a chance to visit or see because of the environment and risks involved, so always make sure to remind your toddler that while these fish and other aquatic species are pretty and unique, they also may live a long way from where you do and it is a truly humbling thought to know just how different their environment is to ours.

Now, onto the learning portion! While you’re observing the animals in their tanks, talk about physical differences you see in some of the species. Are some larger than others? Are some more brightly colored than others? Talk about why this may be, and always remember to ask aquarium staff or volunteers about any of the species. Volunteers are there because they have a passion for the subject and you’d be amazed at the amount of knowledge they have on some of these animals!

Please note that I do keep saying “fish and aquatic species”; fish aren’t the only things that live in the ocean and sea! Jellyfish, for example, are not fish while seahorses are. And then there are birds and seals and otters and whales that live in and around aquatic areas as well. There’s a lot to see at the Seattle Aquarium and they make sure to focus on all aspects of aquatic life, from tidal pool discovery tanks to the Giant Pacific Octopus to the Harbor Seals and Sea Otters outside. Other Aquariums are zoo/aquarium combinations like the Dallas World Aquarium in Dallas, Texas. If you don’t have an aquarium in your area, make sure to stop by when you’re in a city that has one and explore the ocean and the waves with your toddler.

Check out some of the craft and exploration ideas at The Imagination Tree and have fun creating!

For a fun craft activity that you can do at home, try making your own bubble wrap print fish mobile from The Imagination Tree using materials from around the house! Remind your toddler that a group of fish is called a school, and let them create their very own school of fish that can always stay together.

Tuesdays are for Toddlers: at the Zoo!

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day Weekend and got a chance to visit some local museums and historical houses! Today we’re back for another journey in the museum world with toddlers. Today’s theme is all about zoos!

Zoos are awesome. I’ve always loved them. Loads of animals from all over the world in one place. Its great fun to watch the animals walking around, eating, exploring their surroundings and living their lives; it can be a challenge to remember these animals are here for a reason. The tigers that are lounging around in their enclosure? They’re on the endangered list, and more tigers exist in captivity than do in the wild right now. Bats are killed in nets, by planes, and by poisons left out to protect fruit in farms and orchards; yet here they are here, in the zoo, being cared for.

Zoos are a type of museum that preserve living collections for the survival of the species. Endangered species, or in some cases newly discovered species, are bred in captivity in an attempt to keep a species from going extinct due to habitat loss or overhunting. It’s important to remind kids of that when they’re at the zoo and enjoying the animals. Before you go to the zoo, try discussing different animals in your neighborhood (think squirrels, opossums, birds, and mice) and what the neighborhood would be like without them. Now try discussing how the forest would look with no deer, no bears, no birds singing in the trees. Talk about how things you enjoy about animals, for all that they can be a nuisance sometimes (raccoons digging in trash, birds and freshly washed cars). Animals play an important role in the environment and helping to keep the natural world running smoothly. (This isn’t a post saying hunting is bad or that we should all go vegetarian to save the animals; this is about natural conservation and responsible living.)

Talk about your favorite animals together: what do they eat? Where do they live? Are they furry or smooth? Can they fly or do they walk? Point out how some animals look like others (zebras and horses) and talk about how things like that can happen. Create a new level of learning when you’re next at the zoo, and remember that some of these animals are closer to being gone forever than we know.

For more information on zoos and wildlife conservation efforts, please visit http://www.joelsartore.com/ and see what one photographer is trying to do to bring awareness to the state of the natural world around us.

For a fun activity to do together, check out Crafts by Amanda’s idea for a cute paper owl activity using paper plates and paint! Enjoy decorating your owls, and for a change from strictly brown owls, look at different species of owl and have fun learning about the different animals at the zoo together!

 

 

Engaging Techno-Teens

Technology: it’s everywhere. You’re reading this blog on a computer, on a tablet, on a phone. It has become a part of life. It’s also become one of the biggest challenges for museum educators and visitor experience designers throughout the world.

Teens have been, for me at least, one of the biggest educational challenges when it comes to museums and galleries. It’s hard to try to get them excited about art or history and natural history or even anthropology when the technology around them reminds them of the latest trends and current scientific findings, or who is dating who or who said what. Truth is, the here and now is pretty neat and incredibly stimulating and technology connects us to all of it. So, if you can’t beat it, use it.

A new trend among young museums goers is to take a “selfie” with an object as a statement of “look what I saw today”. If you have a teen, even a preteen, you’ve seen what I’m talking about. Neat thing about thatis that it’s an opportunity to get them involved in the piece, and maybe get them interested in the subject. Take your kids, with cell phones or other means of camera device, to your local museum and check everything out. Talk to them about the items they take a “selfie” with and ask them why they chose that piece. Create conversations around their interests and how they compare to the interests of the people in photographs or paintings.

For a fun challenge between family members, see who can capture the most of a particular type of object on camera. Pick what the theme will be before going into the museum: hats, coats, landscapes, smiles, whatever comes to mind. For each picture of an object or artwork that you take a picture, require each person to also take a picture of the label describing what it is and when it’s from. At the end of the visit, count up everyones pictures and talk about the labels. If you can, also use your phones (data plan providing) and look up what else may have happened the same year as the object (art or artifact) in the picture. It’s a fun way to talk about what you saw, compare objects and stories, and spend time together.

Photo scavenger hunts are a fun way to engage minds and think creatively. If you’ve never been to that particular museum or gallery before, think of abstract concepts to look for and then talk about why you chose that object to represent that concept. And when you get home, or are near a place that does digital photo printing, print some of the pictures (or all of them if you have the budget) and create a scrapbook page or a photo album of the day. That way, like a museum, you’re taking a part of your life and preserving it for others to see in the future.

(and believe me, I know that a film camera is far from new technology, but it’s my way of linking the past with the present!)