A Child's First Visit to an Art Gallery

Introducing the Young Child to the World of Art

Jul 30, 2008

It is never too early to share the art gallery experience with a child, even those youngsters still being pushed in strollers.

Introduction to the World of Art

If you have been hesitating about taking a small child with you to an art gallery, you may be surprised to find that even children as young as two or three may enjoy the experience. If a child is in a stroller, a one-hour stroll through the exhibits may be enough for a first-time visit. Ensuing visits can be extended as the child becomes older and shows more interest in the surroundings.

Selecting the Right Painting

When pointing out paintings, chose those that the little one can easily see, such as those with very bright colors, for example: the reds, blues and yellows. You may not see an immediate reaction, however if you do, you may want to remain in place until the child seems to lose interest. Some children as young as six or seven months old may be attracted to the colors and shapes shown in some works of art.

Teaching Proper Behavior

One of the advantages of introducing even very young children to an art gallery is the opportunity to teach proper behavior, which includes not touching anything on display. During an interview, Vicki Donkersley, Curator of Exhibitions at the Tohono Chul Park Art Galley and Exhibit Hall in Tucson, Arizona, suggested that children wear clothing with pockets in which to tuck in their hands and be told to “touch with your eyes” instead of using fingers.

Donkersley recommends that parents find art galleries that either have special rooms dedicated to art for children or look for exhibits such as the Please Touch Again: An Exhibit of Touchable Art that takes place at the Tohono Chul Park Art Gallery. During a recent exhibit, a build-a-bug magnetic board was provided for children during a show featuring works of Artful Insects & Inspired Arachinids, which helped the youngsters better relate to the paintings and sculpture on display. She encourages parents to expose children to art galleries and museums as early as comfortable to create a life-long interest in the arts.

Choosing the Right Time

You may want to avoid art galleries on very busy days when seeing the exhibits will be difficult because of the crowds. Call to find out which days are best to bring a child. If the youngster is old enough, bring a sketch pad and pencil and encourage the youngster to recreate a sketch of a painting.

Limit the time spent in the gallery and avoid visiting with a child during what is normally mealtime or naptime. A hungry and overtired youngster makes the visit not only unpleasant for the parents but also adult patrons. You may want to bring a snack with you so that if the child does become restless and you want to stay a little longer, take a break and share a bit of food outside the gallery building in designated eating areas.

Planning a First Visit

With a little forethought and planning, a child’s first visit to an art gallery can be enjoyable and will lay the ground work for developing a life-long appreciation of art.

The copyright of the article A Child's First Visit to an Art Gallery in Early Childhood is owned by Martha R. Gore. Permission to republish A Child's First Visit to an Art Gallery in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.