Get Your Kids to Love the Arts, Or At Least to Stop Whining at the Museum

By Nohad Mouawad

 

When The Louvre in Abu Dhabi was first unveiled, I’m sure that you thought it was stunning, but at the same time “no way am I taking my kids there.” If you have little ones, you probably had visions of priceless artefacts being knocked over and smashed and of your kids’ screams echoing through the halls of the museum.

If you have older kids you might think that they’ll be bored going to art exhibits or art museums, as they tend to whine about their legs hurting whenever you try a new and unusual activity. You are probably thinking that as soon as you get to the art show, they will start complaining and asking to go to the amusement park, instead.

Many parents think that kids and museums don’t really mix, but there are actually lots of ways to introduce your kids to arts and culture gently so that they grow to appreciate and even like them. With so many arts events, especially Art Dubai, World Art Dubai and Sikka Art & Design Festival going on right now in Dubai, it could be the perfect time to be able to enjoy enjoy cool art events together!

 

Take a Camera: One of my favorite tricks or hacks for kids aged 5 and up, is to give them a camera when you’re visiting an art exhibit or museum. Today’s tech savvy kids love to take tons of pictures, so if you hand them an iPhone or digital camera, they will tend to look more at the works of art, since they’ll want to take pictures of anything that captures their eye. Tell them that they can share the pictures when they’re done with their grandparents or aunt/uncle and they can even send them a little voice note explaining what they saw and what they liked. This little bit of interaction will really bring the art to life for your kids and make it relevant to them, even encouraging them to think about what they saw.

Pack a Sketchbook: Another way to engage kids when taking them to a museum, especially kids who like to draw and color, is to get them to bring a sketchbook and pencils along. It’s a fun activity to ask them to draw a sculpture, artefact or painting they see, as it makes it much more interactive for them. They will look more closely at the work of art and have to think about it without even realizing. Their sketches don’t have to have the perfect form, since the idea is just to get them looking, observing and creating.

Go On a Treasure Hunt: For kids aged 4 to 12, a treasure hunt can be a super fun way to visit an exhibit or museum. It sounds like something that takes lots of planning, but, in reality, all you need is the map to the museum or brochure. Point out 5 to 8 important works of art or artefacts that you want your kid or kids to find and either send them off with the map you’ve starred with a pen, or go through the exhibit together and make a mark next to the works you find. If you have more than one kid with you (especially those aged 8 and above) you can make it a competition for who finds all the artworks first.

Start Small: Another great way to warm your kids up to arts and culture is to take them first to more interactive events or smaller exhibits, that are more tailored to them. That way they can really get how art can be fun and interesting. As they get older, you can start taking them to see parts of more traditional art exhibits, and they might even recognize the artists you introduced them to. Right now there are 2 fun and interactive art shows on: Being Van Gogh and Infinity des Lumieres. There’s also the Museum of the Future open year round, that offers an interactive experience.

Talk About the Artist: Before you actually take your kids to art shows, a great thing to do is to tell them about some of the famous artists they might see. There are books for kids about these artists that you can get at Dubai and UAE bookshops, and you can even print out coloring sheets online from some of their more famous works. The more kids learn about something (in an age appropriate way) the more interested they will be to relate to it in real life.

Sign Them Up for Art Class: Of course, kids learn best by doing, and art classes are a great way to teach love of the arts. There are so many fun classes on offer for all ages, such as: Custom Art classes by Kim Oberoi, classes at the Hungarian Games Art room, and at International studios where they even have clay art, teen art groups, and special art classes for teens enrolled in the IB or A levels programs that need to build their art portfolios.

Plan an “Arty Party”: Once you’ve gotten them into art, or if you have a kid who is already an art lover or a budding artist, then book them an “Arty Party” for their birthday! At the Hungarian Games and International Studios you can book a birthday party package, and your kid’s friends will go home with a memorable piece of artwork that they crafted.

Show Them Art Beyond the Museum: With Gypsum arts and craft theme boxes delivered to your home, you can show your kids that art is something that doesn’t just live in a museum. Art is creativity in our everyday life, whether it’s through expressing ourselves on a piece of paper or canvas, decorating our clothing, or even through graffiti murals that beautify our surroundings.

Start one step at a time when warming your kids up to art, and you might just end up visiting and enjoying The Louvre or Art Dubai with them after all!

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