close encounters with culture
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CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH CULTUREMuseums and Galleries
as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage
1
Foreword/Introduction 1
Contents 2
Childrenengagingwithobjects 3-4
ContributingtotheEYFSthemes 5-6
Ourprojects 7-10
Inyoursetting 11-14
Goingtoamuseumorgallery 15-18
Involvingparents 19
Notesforparentsandcarers 20
Usefulresources 21
Acknowledgements 22
2
Contents
PHO
TO BY JO
EL CHESTER-FILD
ES/WH
ITWO
RTH A
RT GA
LLERY
ForewordItiswithgreatpleasurethatIwritethisforewordfortheMuseumandGalleriesbookletfortheEarlyYearsFoundationStage.AnumberofEarlyYearssettingshavebeeninvolvedinworkwiththeMuseumandGalleriesinManchesterandthefeedbackhasbeenfabulous.ChildrenfrominnercityareashavevisitedwithPractitionersandhavebeen fullofaweandwonderat theexperiences theyhavehad.Practitionershavebeendelightedbytheresponsesfromchildrenandhaveusedvisitsasthecatalystfordevelopingarangeoflearningexperiences.Visitstothemuseumandgallerieshaveenabledchildrentoaccessobjectsthattheywouldnothaveexperiencedbeforeandlittleoneshaveexplodedthemyththatmuseumsandgalleriesareplaceswhereyouhavetobequietandstill.Involvementofparentshasbeenkeytotheworkandaswellasinvolvingparentsinchildren’slearningatthesetting,familieshavereturnedatothertimestoenjoythemuseumIamsurethatyouwillenjoyreadingthebookletandwillgleanhelpfulideasfromitandfinally
–enjoyyourvisitsandlinkswithyourmuseumsandgalleries.
Pam Tideswell, Head of Sure Start, Manchester
IntroductionThisbooklet istheresultofmuseumsandgalleries intheNorthWestandSouthWestworkinginpartnershipwithEarlyYearspractitioners.Practitionerswereamazedathowmuchchildrengotfromtheirexperiencesinmuseumsandgalleries.Throughourprojectswefoundthatchildrenhadunusuallyhighlevelsofinvolvementandthattheirlanguageforthinkingandforcommunicationbenefited.WediscoveredthatmuseumscouldhelpsettingsdelivertheEarlyYearsFoundationStageinacreativeandexcitingway.Parentsandcarersweregenuinelyinterestedandmanycamealongtomuseumsforthefirsttime.Weandthepractitionersgotalmostasmuchfromourlearningjourneysasthechildrendidandwewantedtosharewhatwehadfound.
Wehopethisbookletwillhelpyouseesomeofthewonderfullearninganddevelopmentthatcancomefromyoungchildrenengagingwithobjectsandartworks.Thereispracticalguidanceonvisitingamuseumorgalleryandasheetinthebackcoverhelpingyouidentifythoseclosetoyou.Ourprojectsshowedusthevalueofchildrenstartingorcontinuingtheircloseencounterswithcultureintheirownsetting.Theactivityideasincludedhaveallbeendevelopedbypractitionersand
workwitheasytosourceobjectsaswellashistoricalones.
Virginia Tandy, North West Museums Hub Lead
3 4
Children engaging with objects
Children find objects interestingMuseumscollectobjectsbecausetheyhaveameaning.Theymaybethingsthat
belongedtofamouspeopleorcamefrominterestingplaces.Theymightbethe
firsteverofsomething,orthelastofsomething.Theycouldbeordinarythings
thathelpustounderstandaboutpeople’slivesinthepast.Thethingsallaround
usnowcouldonedaybeinamuseum.
Forchildren,being interested inobjects is justpartofbeing interested in the
worldaroundus.Objectscanbeusefulforsparkingoffworkinalltheareasof
learninganddevelopment.
Objects are relevant to young childrenSomepractitionersworrythatchildrenwon’tbeabletomakesenseofmuseum
objectsandwillquicklybecomebored.
I would have been wary of taking very young children to the Museum because it might not be interesting to them. Now I wouldn’t hesitate to take them.
Childminder
Infact,childrenoftenbecomefascinatedwithobjects,especiallythingsthatare
unusualorslightlydifferentfromtheireverydayexperience.
Keanu was interested in the paintings of the sea with the ships on the rocks. He spoke about this when we got to the lighthouse
saying: “crashing into stones.” Keanu’slearningjourney.Keanuis2
Objects encourage active learnersTheEarlyYearsFoundationStageidentifiesactivelearningasthe
keytoearlysuccess.Itsays:activelearningoccurswhenchildren
arekeentolearnandareinterestedinfindingthingsoutforthemselves.
Activelearninggiveschildrenrealchoicesanddecisionstomake.Whentheyare
exploringobjectschildrencanbecomehighlyabsorbed,spendinga lotof time
investigatingindifferentways.Theygainasenseofsatisfactionfromfollowing
theirowninterestandinvestigatingtheirownquestions.
Objects prompt language for thinkingTheEarlyYearsFoundationStagedetailshowchildrendeveloptheirlanguagefor
thinking:fromearlycuriosity,tousingtalktoorganisetheirthoughts.Successful
young thinkers demonstrate all kinds of thinking skills, frombeginning to think
aheadandspeculate,tofinding,processingandrecallinginformation.Investigating
objectshelpsthemusetheirreasoning,andtheirimaginationstakeflight.
A group of 4 year olds is handling a cannonball. Child: I think it’s made out of rock. It’s really, really hard. Child: I think it might make your arm ache.
Jenna drew a fox at the drawing table, referring to the stuf fed fox. Then she went to paint a fox in the painting
area. She was self-resourced and created her own space to work. She made up a verbal story about a fox, asking the adult to scribe for her. Then she read herself the previously read fox story, turning pages, pointing at words and carefully looking at pictures and interpreting them.
Jenna’slearningjourney.Jennais4.
Objects develop language for communicationPractitionersoftenfinditdifficulttoencouragechildrentoasktheirownquestionsand
totalktogether.Aschildreninvestigatenewobjects,questionsseemtocomenaturally
andinterestingtopicsofconversationoftenemerge.
Children were asking their own questions and answering each other’s. The words came tumbling
out. They were almost falling over themselves in trying to
get their ideas out.EarlyYearspractitioner
InvestigatingInvestigating comes first. Children
ask questions and gather
information using all of their senses.
CommunicatingChildren begin to express their ideas
and feelings through words, sounds
or signs. They listen, apply their
reasoning
and offer explanations.
RepresentingChildren quickly move to
representing their ideas. They might
choose to draw or make, to play
imaginary games, sing songs or
make up stories about an object.
RecallingEncounters with objects can provide
potent memories for children to
recall and share. A museum visit
can produce plenty to talk about,
and objects back in the setting can
encourage exploration to continue.
5 6
A unique childChildrencanhavetheirownuniquewayof relatingtodifferent
objects.There isa lotthat isnotknownaboutmanyobjects
andhastobeimagined.Eachchildcandecidehowimportant,
interesting or beautiful something is and opinions will vary.
Many museums have world culture collections that could
strikeachordwithchildrenfromawiderangeof communities.
Objects from thedistantpastcan introduceakindof living
equallyunfamiliartoeveryone.Investigatingobjectsinthisopen-endedway,wherethere
arenowronganswers,canhelpbuildchildren’sconfidence.
A child with English as his second language was totally engaged with exploring an egg slice. He said something in Russian about it and when his mother arrived he went straight to her
saying: ”I did that by myself”. Practitionerobservation
Positive relationshipsInvestigatingobjectscaninvolveparents.Museumobjectscanformabridgetohome
experiences.Olderrelationsmayownsomethingsimilarorrememberwhentheyused
one.Childrenconnectobjectstothingsthey’veseenathome.
A child aged 4 investigated a bottle opener. He talked about home and the kitchen and his mum. “My mum has one of those. That takes the lid off beer”.
Enabling environmentsMuseumandgallerybuildingscanprovidenewenvironmentstoexplore,stimulatingchildren
andbringingasenseofaweandwonder.
The children explored the museum space carefully by shining their torches on the walls, ceilings and floors. “Look at the state of that up
there”. Molly,aged4.
Objectsandartworkscanhelpmakethelearningenvironmentmore
stimulatingandexciting.Theymightsparkoff investigationsindoors
oroutdoors.Inonesetting,exploringamuseum’swoodlandcollectionledtoanoutdoor
adventurewithsofttoys.
The children spent a lot of time thinking about where the animals could live. They wandered about placing them under the trees, on branches and in various dens.
Learning and development Objects,artworksandstoriesareagreatresourceforchildren’sactivelearning.Whether
theyareincorporatingthemintotheirplay,representingthem,exploringthemortalking
aboutthem,childrencandevelopattheirownpaceandintheirownway.
Macion is touching a tapestry.Macion: It’s soft!
Adult: Yes, it is soft, it’s made of wool.Adult picks up toddler so she can touch it too.Adult: It’s soft Grace. Grace:(smiling) Aahh!Macionaged2.5yrs,Graceaged17mths
Izzy loved it. She told my gran all about the animals and the Exeter
Puzzle Jug. Parentof childaged3
Contributing to the EYFS themes
Our projects
7 8
AcrosstheNorthWest,MuseumsandGallerieshavebeenworkinginpartnershipwithavarietyofsettings,earlyyearsprofessionals,artistsandparentstodeveloppracticeandresourcestoengageyoungchildrenwiththeirbuildingsandcollections.Muchofthispracticehasbeendevelopedthroughsmallprojects,whichhaveincluded:
•exploratoryandchildinitiatedactivities
•regularvisitstomuseumsandgalleriesandoutreachvisits
• documentation of children’s learning journeys through observation, video footage,photographsandworkbackintheirsetting–someofwhichareinthispublication.
Within the projects children were highly motivated and excited about theirexperiences. The children developed their skills for active learning, languagefor thinking and language for communication. The outcomes from the projectsdemonstratetheintensityofthelearningthatcanbeachievedthroughengagingwithmuseumsandgalleriesandthebreadthoftheareasoflearninganddevelopmentthatcanbecovered.Thesecasestudiesofgoodpracticeformthefoundationsofthisdocument.Thefollowingpagesgiveanoverviewofsomeoftheprojectswehavebeenundertaking.Not allmuseums, galleries or settings can takepart inprojects like these,butmanyhave resources theycouldcontribute,peoplewhocouldcometoyoursettingorinterestingbuildingsandcollectionstovisit.Pages16and17givesomeideasofexcitingthingsyoucoulddowithyourchildreninamuseumorgalleryeveniftheydon’thaveanytargetedprovision.
Bolton Museum and Art Gallery / Clarendon Primary School
TwonurseryclassesspentadayvisitingBoltonMuseum,AquariumandArchive.
Thechildrenhadtheopportunitytovisitthedifferentbuildingsand
areasof thecollection. In theAquarium, thechildren lookedata
varietyoffishfromaroundtheworldandparticipatedinthefeeding
session. Their communication, language and literacy skills were
developedthroughplayfuldiscussion,storiesandrhymes,whilstsat
onanimaginaryblueocean.ThechildrenalsousedtheirNumeracy
skillswhencountingandplayingnumberrecognitiongameslinked
totheirnewexperiencesoftheAquarium.
Afuntimewashadbyall,withmanyopportunitiesforthechildrentoexperience
different learning styles and engage in varied activities. The Nursery class
teachersareeagertotakepartinfutureearlyyearssessions.
Manchester Art Gallery / St Peters Children’s CentreManchesterArtGalleryhavebeenworkingwithchildrenaged3-5.The
projectisstillunderway,butisexploringwaysofworkingtogetherto
supportchildren’screativityandreachparents.
Theaim for thegallery is toencouragechildren to returnwith their
parents.Theprojectishelpingshapethedevelopmentofnewactivities
andresourcesforfamilieswithunder5satthegallery.
Asaresulttheywillbeabletoenjoyaspeciallydesignedfamilyart
clubwhenitlaunchesinMayandredevelopedactivitybagswhich
willbecompletedlaterintheyear.
The Manchester Museum / Gorton South Sure Start Children’s CentreSix children aged 2 to 4 years, visited the Manchester Museum regularly over a
periodofsixweeks.Thechildrenexploredthedifferentspacesandobjectswithin
themuseumusingtorchesandmagnifyingglasses.Theyenjoyed
followingatraillinkedtoPolarBearPolarBearandriflingthrougha
treasurechestlinkedtothegallery.Thestaffuseddigitalcameras
andobservationstodocumentthechildren’slearningjourneys.The
childrenwereenthusedandinspiredbytheirvisitsandinresponse
a ‘Story Room’ was developed back at the centre. A magic key
allowschildrentoentertheroom,andintheretheycanreadand
listentoarangeofstoriesandexplorethemovementandsoundof
theanimalsusingdifferentmaterials,toolsandinstruments.Thechildrenhopethe
polarbearfromthemuseumwillvisitthemsoon!
People’s History Museum / Higher Blackley Children’s CentreParents and children have worked together to create
a mixed media map of the journey to the museum’s
temporaryhomeattheMuseumofScienceandIndustry.
The children will explore the galleries recording their
experiences with a disposable camera. The group will
thenhavetheopportunitytorespondcreativelytotheir
experiences. We hope that the project will encourage
parentsaspartnersintheirchild’slearningandencouragevisitstothemuseum
inthefuture.Mostimportantlywehopethateveryoneinvolvedwillhavefun!
ThePeoplesHistoryMuseum is temporarilyhousedat theMuseumofScienceand Industry while it is being redeveloped. The partnership has provided anexcitingopportunity todevelopourpracticesand influence the redevelopmentofthemuseum.
The Whitworth Art Gallery / Slade Lane and Broom Avenue Children’s CentreTheprojectbeganwithan initial visit to theGallery,with twelvechildrenaged
2-4 years and some parents. Children were given torches and cameras to
recordtheirdiscoveriesaroundthegallery,exploring
sculpture, textiles, wallpapers and paintings. It was
thephysicalspacehowever,thatreallycapturedtheir
imagination,inparticular,asmall,darkroom,playing
music. Inspiredbyanartwork theyhadseenearlier,
children decided that a dragon might live in such a
space. The three subsequent sessions, both at the
gallery and the centre, elaborated on this theme, incorporating den-building,
modelingdragonfood,story-tellingandartactivities.
Museum of Science and IndustryWhenworkingwithnewgroups,we like to
visit them in theirownsettingbefore they
visittheMuseum.InthisprojectwithaSure
Start Carer and Toddler group, we were
able to visitMerseysideMaritimeMuseum
aswell!Thechildrenwerefascinatedbythe
water, boats and creatures. After visiting
Xperiment, our hands-on science centre,
thecarerswantedtodevelopsomeinteractivesonthethemeofwater.Thenext
fewweeksinvolvedlotsofwaterycraft,investigations,singing,andboatbuilding
whichresultedinthecreationofawonderfulunder5’sareainourCommunity
Exhibitiongallery.Theactivitiescreatedopportunitiesforthechildrentodevelop
their skills in language, exploration and observation and helped to improve
confidenceandraiseself-esteemamongsttheadults.
Preston Museums GroupMuseums across Preston, Lancashire, are working in close partnerships with
Children’sCentrestoprovideexcitingresourcesforearlyyearsandtheirfamilies.
Themuseumshavedeveloped‘TreasureBoxes’ofwonderfulobjectsandactivities
forchildrenandtheirfamiliestouseincentres.Activitytrailsarealsoavailable
foryoungchildreninmuseumsacrossthecity.
Tullie House Museum and Art GalleryThe ‘Artyfacts’ programme run by Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery, was
developed in collaboration with the LEA Foundation Stage Advisory Team. It
comprises two elements – boxes and bags of activities
linked to pictures, objects and areas of the galleries
making the Museum more fun and friendly for the 3-5
yearagegroup.Activitiesincludediscussion,observation
and interaction with the objects, paintings and related
areasandsuitableactivitieslinkedtothethemesofthe
sessionwhichincluderivers,trains,owlsandbutterflies.
WealsorunTullieToddlers,aregular,fortnightlyopen-sessionforunder5’s,which
providesauniqueopportunitytointroduceyoungchildrentotheMuseumthrough
hands-onactivitiesinafriendly,accessiblespace.
Children’s First Forum MerseysideNationalMuseumsLiverpoolleadstheMerseysideChildrenFirstForumwhichis
amulti-agencypartnershipapproachtoengagingyoungchildrenwithmuseums,
galleries and other arts and cultural venues. The forum aims to share and
celebratethevarietyanddepthofchildren’screativeandculturallearningacross
Merseyside,strengthenitsrootsandbuilditslegacy.Theforum’sworkinvolves
developingprojects aimedat improvingaccess togalleries andcollections for
very young children and their families. It also provides CPD opportunities for
EarlyYearspractitioners-www.liverpoolmuseums.org/learning/childrenfirst/.
Our projects
9 10
In your setting
Thethingsyoucanseeinmuseumsorgalleriesareusuallymore“aweinspiring”than
theeverydayobjectsaroundus.However,a lotof theskillsneededtounderstand
objectscanbedevelopedinyourownsetting,usingobjectsloanedfromamuseum
orthingsyou’vecollected.
Where do I get objects?•fromyourlocalmuseumorschools’loansservice(seeinsertinbackcover)
•atanantiqueshop,carbootsale,onebay,orevenyourloft
•askchildrentobringthingsfromhomeorfromolderrelatives
•theresourcespage(p.21)hasideasonwheretobuyreplicasorinvestigationtools
Remember to riskassesseverythingyougivechildren to investigate.Nameand take
careof anythingloanedtoyoubychildren’sfamilies.Thisisagoodopportunitytoshow
childrenhowtocareforotherpeople’sthings.
What are the learning outcomes?Objectsfromthepastandpresentareanimportantsourceof informationforus.Children
needtheopportunitytoinvestigatethem.Aschildrennoticethematerialsthingsare
madeof, theybegin tobuild theirunderstandingof theworldaroundthem.As they
explore how objects work, they develop a sense of simple technology. As they hear
storiesaboutobjectsandmakeuptheirown,theybegintounderstandtheconnections
anddifferencesbetweentheirlivesandotherpeople’s:pastandpresent.
Throughobjectschildrencanstarttodevelopasenseof time,findoutaboutmaterials,
develop observation skills and learn to sort and group things. They investigate, ask
questionsandbuildcommunicationskills.Theycanmakeconnectionswiththeirlives
outsidethesettinganddeveloptheircreativityastheyimaginewhatanobjectis,does
orwhoitbelongsto.Thinkingaboutspecialobjects,memoriesandfeelingscansupport
personal,socialandemotionaldevelopment.
Activities to tryUsethefollowingactivityideastointroducechildrentoobjectsorchangethewaythey
think about them. Museum visits, or objects brought into your setting, can fire the
imaginationsobepreparedforchildrentohavesomeactivityideasof theirown.
How does that work?Learning outcomes:interestedandmotivatedtolearn•languageforthinking•exploration
andinvestigationskills
You will need: asetof safeobjectstoexploreandthingstodowiththem:e.g.kitchengadgetssuchaswhisks,eggslicers,bluntknivesandforks,arangeof spoons,sieves,mixingbowls,mortarsandpestlesandherbs,oats,lentilsetc.
Younger children: observe children investigating the objects independently, e.g arangeof differentmaterialandsizeof spoon.Givethemfurtherobjectsormaterialsdepending on their interest. Tins and pans if they are keento explore sound, bowls and safe materials like home-madeplaydoughif theywouldliketoexploremixingorstirring.
Older children: handaroundobjectsatcircletimetointroducechildren to them. Ask children what they think about eachobject.Listentotheirideas.Whatquestionsdochildrenwanttoask?Letthemexploretheobjectsindependentlyandhelpthemfindoutaboutthemif asked.
Telling TalesLearning outcomes:intestedandmotivatedtolearn•creativethinking•interactingwithothers•speakingconfidently•respondingtostoriesandmakinguptheirown
You will need: ‘It’sTheBear’byJezAlborough(oranotherfavouritestory),relatedprops,e.g.Mum’shat,apicnicbasket,alargeboxtohidein,asmallteddy.
Younger children: readthestory,butpauseatcrucialmomentstoletchildrenjoinin.Letchildrenwearthehat,oropenthepicnicbasket,connectingstorypictureswith3D,concreteexperiences.Youcouldwearthehatorcarryteddyyourself tobringMumorEddytolife.
Older children: whatwillMumsaywhenEddysayshedoesn’twanttogointothewoods?Letdifferentchildrenputon thehatandpretend tobeMum.What’s in thepicnicbasket?Letchildrenpeepinsideandpretendtoseethepicnic.
Take it further:Havea‘storythings’boxorevena‘storyroom’.Includeobjectsthathavelinkstofamiliarstories,likethethreebears’woodenbowlsorabasketthatcouldhavebeenHanda’s.Addthingslikeanoldwoodenbox,alargekey,anoldshawloralargecookingpot.Encouragechildrentousethingsfromthestoryboxintheirimaginarygamesortellstoriestoeachother,ortoaskanadulttowriteforthem.
11 12
In your setting
Treasure HuntLearning outcomes: creativethinking•problemsolving•similaritiesanddifferences
You will need: abasketor‘feely’bag,asetof smallobjects,asetof picturesof the
objects,pegs.
Askchildrentopegpicturesof objectsaroundyoursetting,indoorsandoutdoors.Ask
otherchildrentochooseanobjectfromthebasketorfeelybag
andtakeitroundtofindthematchingpicture.Otherhuntsmight
include:plasticanimalsandpicturesof animalsfromamuseum,
oldandnewversionsof theobjects,orobjectsthemselveshidden
andpicturecluesastotheirwhereabouts.Olderchildrencould
useadigitalcameratomakethepictureclues.
Imaginative PlayLearning outcomes: imaginative language • language for organising ideas • creative
thinking•reflectingonexperiences•interactingwithothers•designingandmaking
You will need: whatyoumakedependsonwhathasinspiredchildrenontheirvisit,
for example a kitchen with old-fashioned cooking equipment, a clock maker’s
workshop with tools and bits of clocks, children’s own art gallery with picture
frames,aprehistoriccavewith‘dinosaurbones’andcavepainting,oranimalsin
theirhabitats.
Followingamuseumvisit,givechildrenthechancetorevisittheirexperiencesand
buildonthemcreativelytogetherthroughyourroleplayareaoroutside.Involve
childreninchoosingwhattoputintheareaandinmakingpropsandcostumes.
Mini MuseumLearning outcomes: asenseof familyandidentity•otherpeople’scultures•otherlives
pastandpresent•understandingmemoriesandfeelings•languageskills
You will need: children’sobjectsfromhome,displayspaceandmaterials,yourowninterestingobjects,e.g.somethingfromanoverseasholidayoranotherculture,naturalthingslikealargeshelloroldthingslikeagameoroldphotos.
Askif anychildrencouldbringinaninterestingthingfromhometomakeaminimuseum.Havesomeof yourownobjectsreadytomakeupnumbers.Letchildrendisplaytheobjects,workinginpairsorgroupsif possible.Writeoutanylabelsthat
childrenmightwanttoadd,explainingwhyeachobjectisinteresting.
Make ConnectionsLearning outcomes:interestedandmotivatedtolearn•reasoningskills•creative
thinking•similaritiesanddifferences•materialsandtheirproperties.
You will need: objects such as keys, natural things like fir cones and shells, unusual
kitchenutensilslikemortarsandpestles,eggwhisks,potsorplatesmadeof different
materials,e.g.plastic,enamel,wood,stainlesssteel.
Younger children: letchildrenusetheirsensestoexploretheobjects.Groupthings
togetheryourself, explainingyour reasonsandwatch tosee if childrenmakeany
connections.Givechildrenanobjectandseeif theycan‘findanotheronelikeit’.
Older children:Encouragechildrentosortandgroupobjectshowevertheywantto
andinlotsof differentways.Whatgroupsandconnectionsdotheymake?Youcould
offerarangeof containersorspecialboxestosupporttheirsorting.Putdifferent
colouredpaperontothetabletoptosuggestsorting,orletchildrenuseittomake
labels.Offerchildrenmirrorsandmagnifyingglassestoexploretheobjects.
Take it further: takephotosof children’sobjectgroupsandletthemdictatealabel.
Encouragechildrentotalktogetheraboutthegroupseachchildmadeandtotell
parentsandcarersabouttheirthinking.
Shadow Play Learning outcomes: creative thinking • problem solving • reasoning skills • interactingwithothers•materialsandtheirproperties•respondingtostoriesand
makinguptheirown.
You will need: Adarkenedspace,anoverheadprojector,whitescreen,
board or pale wall, coloured cellophane, torches, objects that cast
interestingshadows,instruments.
Younger children: Let children handle the objects, then give themtorchestoexaminethem.Useyourtorchtomakeashadowonthewallandpointitoutif childrendon’tnotice.
Older children: Ask children to find out how to make their object
shadowsbiggerandsmaller.Try layingcellophaneontheoverhead
projectorsurfaceandthenaddingobjects.Makeupstoriestogowiththeobjectsand
useinstrumentstomakethestorysounds.
13 14
Objectsandartworksinmuseumsandgalleriesareusuallybiggerandmuchmore
exciting than anything that could come to a setting. Many museum and gallery
buildingsareamazingplacesthatchildrenfindfascinating.
Avisitisagreatopportunitytoinvolveparentsandcarersandtogetchildrenout
exploringtheirlocalcommunity.
For many, coming to a museum environment was a new experience. It fired their
imagination and developed their confidence.Nurserycreativecollaborator
Getting thereCheck out your nearest museum or gallery.
It may be within walking distance or a short
bus rideaway.Even the journey itself canbe
excitingforchildren,asthisjourneymapdrawn
bya4year-oldillustrates.
If travel really is impossible, contact a local
museumorgallerytoseeif theycancometo
you. The sheet at theback of this bookwill
helpyoufindwhatisnearby.
16
Going to a museum or gallery
Planning the visitThemuseumorgallerywillwanttohelpyou.Getintouchandseewhattheycan
offer.Somemuseumsandgallerieshavespecificprogrammesforyoungervisitors
suchashands-onexperiencesorstorytelling.Someonemaybeabletohelpyou
planyourtrip.Manymuseumsarefreebutsomemaycharge.
Bringingasmallgroupcanbeeasierandcanhavebenefitsforthechildren.Itmay
alsomeanchildrencanmakemorethanonevisit.
Being a small group had benefits – it was a quality experience with individual support for
each child. We were able to follow the interests of the children within the galleries due to
the adult: child ratio. Practitioner
Planning exciting things to doEven ifamuseumorgallerydoesn’thaveaspecificEarlyYearsprogrammeor
resources,there’splentyyoucandotoensurethatanymuseumorgallerywill
beaplaceofwonderandexcitementforchildren.
Whynot:
• takealong torches,magnifyingglasses,mirrors,evenaccessories likecapesor
hatsandaskthemtobeexplorers
• give them digital cameras to photograph the
mostinterestingthingstheysee
• givethemphotosofobjects,artworksorparts
of the building to find. Older children may be
abletomatchphotosofsmalldetailsorunusual
viewsofobjectsorpaintings
•givethematrailthatasksthemtofindthescariestthinginonearea,thelargest
inanother,thefunniest,prettiestetc
•tellchildrenthebarebonesofastorythattakesplaceinthemuseumorgallery.
Ask themto findoutmoredetailsoyoucanmakeup thewholestory together
whenyougetback
•providedrawingequipmentandletchildrenchoosewhatinspiresthem
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Exploring the buildingRememberthatchildrenwillbejustasinterestedinthemuseumorgallerybuilding
as they are in thedisplays, sowhynot include a structured chance to explore.
Asimplemapwithphotosofoneortwothingstospotineachspacecouldhelp
childrenbegintofeelathomeinthenewenvironment.
Youcould:
•getadulthelperstoaskchildrenwhattheylikeabouteachnewspacetheyenter
•encouragechildrentomoveindifferentwaysondifferent floor surfaces or in different spaces,e.g.tiptoeonthetiles
•usethepatternof‘goingonabearhunt’toexplorethedifferent‘rooms’andarchitecturalfeatures
•givechildrendigitalcamerasandencouragethemtotakephotosfromunusualvantagepoints,
e.g.balconies,lookinguphugestaircases
•useastorylike‘Peepo’toencouragechildrento
lookaround.Youcouldevengivethemcut-out‘Peepo’holestouseastheyexplore.
Before you goMost organisations encourage planning visits. These are often free, even if a
museumorgallerycharges.Onyourplanningvisit:
•askstaffifyoucantakephotostohelpwithyourplanning,toturnintoactivities
ortouseastalkingpointswithchildrenaheadofthevisit
•checkoutthefacilities.Wherearethetoilets?Istherespacetoleavecoatsor
haveasnack?Aretherestairsoristherealift?
•doariskassessment,stafftheremaybeabletohelpwithyourpaperwork
•askifsomeonefromthemuseumorgallerycancomeandmeetthechildren.
Makesureyouhavephotopermissionsinplaceandpackadigitalcameraontheday.
At the museumWhattoexpect:
•excitedfaces
•timetoadjusttothenewsetting
•lotsofexploring,talkingandquestions
•somequieterchildrencomingoutoftheirshell
It’sagoodideatotrytonotedownthethingschildrendoandsayonavisit.If
adulthelpersareconfidenttheycouldbegivennotepadsoracamcorder.These
recordsofthevisitaregreatforassessinglearning,informingplanningandcan
beausefultoolinhelpingchildrenreflectonandrevisittheirexperiences.
Museums and galleries can of fer the resources that ‘spark’ the imagination of
young children and encourage their enthusiasm to extend their learning whilst
having fun together in an exciting venue. Children’sCentreManager
Back in your settingGivechildrenthechancetotalkabouttheirexperiencesatthemuseumorgallery.
Letthemrepresentthethingstheywereinterestedinthroughdrawing,painting,
modellingandimaginaryplay.Challengechildrentobuildamuseumorgallery
withblocksandusesmallworldfiguresasthevisitors.Makemapssochildren
canshowwheretheywentinthebuilding.Usetheinternettohelpanychildren
whowanttofindoutmoreaboutthecollections.
Whynotmakeascrapbooktosharethechildren’slearningjourney?
•putinpicturesofchildreninthemuseumorgallery
•addphotoschildrentookonthevisit
•writeinthingschildrenremember
•sendpostcardshomeforparents’/carers’memoriesandthenstickthosein
Ifyouhaveaninteractivewhiteboardorcomputeryoucouldmakearollingpresentation
andshareitwithchildrenandfamilyadultswhocouldn’tmakethattrip.
Whenyouevaluateyourvisit,thinkaboutgivingfeedbacktothemuseumorgallery.
Theywillfinditreallyusefulindevelopingtheirservices.
18 17
Going to a museum or gallery PH
OTO
BY STEVE DEVIN
E/THE M
AN
CHESTER M
USEU
M
Involving parents
Goingtoamuseumorgalleryisagreatopportunitytoinvolveparentsand
carers.Togettheminterestedincomingalong,whynot:
•exploreintriguingobjectsinyoursettingsothatchildrentalkaboutthemathome.
•makesurefamilyadultscomeacrosstheobjectswhentheydropchildrenofforpickthemup
•arrangeforsomeonefromamuseumorgallerytocomeandtalktochildrenandfamilyadultsbeforeaskingforvolunteersforavisit
•letparentsandcarersknowwhateveryonewillbedoingonthevisit.Reassurethemnoexpertknowledgeorexperienceisneeded.Tryaposteronyournoticeboard.Thepageoppositeisdesignedtobephotocopiedforparentsandcarers
The visit to the Museum was a real adventure and it was wonderful to see parents and children working so closely together, harvesting the children’s language and
observations. Children’sCentreSeniorTeacher
At the museum or galleryEncouragefamilyadultstoreallygetinvolvedwiththeirgroup.Askthemto:
•listentochildren
•encouragechildrentotalktogether
•noticewhatchildrenareinterestedinandchataboutitwiththem
After the visitMakeabookaboutyourvisitbackinyoursettingandaskparentswhocameto
contributetheirthoughtsaboutthetripandanyphotos.
We made a museum book back in the centre. Children wrote detailed, super sentences
as captions for pictures. This then sparked interest at home and many children visited
the museum with their parents. It also encouraged conversation and sharing experiences. Children’sCentreManager
Askthemuseumorgalleryiftheyhaveinformationforfamiliesthatcouldbesenthome.Whynotinvitefamilyadultstoaminimuseum,anexhibitionof
children’sartorapresentationaboutthevisit?
Notes for parents and carers
It’sgreatthatyou’vevolunteeredtocomeonthisvisit.Whatshouldyoudowhenyou’rethere?
Herearethreetoptipsforhavingasuccessfultrip.
Keep children safeMakesureyoukeepaneyeonchildrenyouarelookingafter,
eveniftheygotothetoiletsortheshop.
Theymaywanttoexploreandfindthingsthatinterestthem,
somakesureyoudothatasagroup.
Chat with children
Museumsandgalleriesareexcitingplacesforchildren.
Theywillbefullofcommentsandquestions.
Listentoalltheirideasandchataboutthethingsyousee.
Youdon’tneedtobeahistoryorartexperttohavesomethinginterestingtosay.
Enjoy yourselfJoininwithchildrenastheyexplore.Getinvolvedintheiractivities.
Enjoyhavingsomespecialtimetogether.
20 19
Stockists and suppliersMINDSTRETCHERS-www.mindstretchers.co.uk
Agreatsourceofmulti-sensorymaterials,investigativetools,naturalresourcesandobjects.
EARLYEXCELLENCE-www.earlyexcellence.com
Readymadetreasurebasketsandinterestingwoodenobjectsareavailablebymailorder.
EARLYYEARSRESOURCES-www.earlyyearsresources.co.uk
Aneducationalsupplierwithagoodrangeofinvestigativetools.
TOBAR-www.tobar.co.uk
NotjustforEarlyYearsbuttheyofferawiderangeoftraditionaltoys,investigativetoolsand
interestingobjects.
TTS-www.tts-group.co.uk
TheirEarlyYearsresourcesarefantastic!LookalsoattheirICTresourcesandinvestigationtools.e.g
‘Explorer’setand‘Easi-Speak’robustMP3recorder.
PUPPETSBYPOST-www.puppetsbypost.co.uk
Afantasticrangeofpuppetsofallsizes,includinganimalsandfigures.
SCRAPSTORES-www.childrensscrapstores.co.uk
Foranationwidelistofstoresyoucouldjoin.
TryhighstreetstockistslikeAUNATURAL,IKEA,CARGO,PIERandLAKELANDfortreasure.
baskets,chestsandinterestingobjectse.g.kitchenutensils.
ResourcesTHESTANDARDSSITE-www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk
InterestingcasestudiesonwaystouseICTinEarlyYearssettings
THESURESTARTSITE-www.surestart.gov.uk
Excitingcasestudiesondevelopingchildren’screativity.
LTSSCOTLAND-www.Ltscotland.org.uk
LotsofsharedpracticeforEarlyYearssettings,includingideasforactivelearning.
SIGHTLINES-www.sightlines-initiative.com
TheUKcontactpointfortheReggioChildrenNetwork.
THELITTLEBOOKOF...series,verypracticalanduseful,especiallyonroleplay,propboxesforrole
playandinvestigations.ISBN:1904187668
Lotsofstorybookscanbeusedtopromptexplorationofamuseumorgallerybuilding.‘Katie’
bookse.g.KATIE’SPICTURESHOWISBN:1843623978•HARRYANDTHEDINOSAURSATTHE
MUSEUMISBN:0140503846•GOINGONABEARHUNTISBN:0744523230.
Useful resources
ThispublicationwasdevelopedandwrittenbyJoGrahamfromLearningUnlimitedandeditedbyJo,ElaineBatesandAmandaShorefromManchesterMuseum.
Wewouldliketothankthestafffromthefollowingvenuesfortheirinvolvementincreatingthispublication:
ManchesterArtGallery GortonSouthSureStartChildren’sCentre
Museumof ScienceandIndustry MartenscroftNurseryandSureStartChildren’sCentre
PeoplesHistoryMuseum SaintPetersChildren’sCentre
WhitworthArtGallery HigherBlackleyChildren’sCentre
ManchesterMuseum SladeLaneandBroomAvenueChildren’sCentre
BoltonMuseumandArtGallery ClarendonPrimarySchool
PrestonConsortiumof Museums
TullieHouseMuseumandArtGallery
Children’sFirstForum,Merseyside
Wewouldalsoliketothank:
TheEarlyYearsSteeringGroupfromTheNorthWestHub
TheSouthWestHubMuseums
TheEarlyYearsTeamfromTheSouthWestHub
JaneFletcherNorthWestHubEducationDevelopmentManager
PamTideswellHeadof SureStart,Manchester
StephanieMetcalfeChildren’sCentreTeacher
SueGoodPrimaryPhaseConsultant,MuseumsandGalleries
SarahMurrayFoundationStageConsultant
TerryGouldFoundationStageConsultant
VirginiaTandyNorthWestMuseumsHubLead
Acknowledgements
21
museums for changing lives
MUSEUMS LIBRARIES ARCHIVESN O R T H W E S T
Formoreinformationandfurthercopiesofthisreport,pleasevisittheRenaissancepagesoftheMLANorthWestwebsite:
www.mlanorthwest.org.uk/museumslibrariesarchives/museums/renaissancenw
PublishedbyRenaissanceNorthWest,March2008.
RenaissanceistheMuseums,LibrariesandArchives(MLA)Council’s£150millionprogrammetotransformEngland’sregionalmuseums.Forthefirsttimeever,investmentfromcentralgovernmentishelpingregionalmuseumsacrossthecountrytoraisetheirstandardsanddeliverrealresultsinsupportofeducation,learning,communitydevelopmentandeconomicregeneration.Anetworkof‘Hubs’hasbeensetupineachEnglishregiontoactasflagshipmuseumsandhelppromotegoodpractice.AlongsidetheHubs,MLARegionalAgenciesandMuseumDevelopmentOfficersareprovidingadviceandsupport,SubjectSpecialistNetworkshavebeensetup,andnationalmuseumsaresharingtheirskillsandcollectionstoensureRenaissancebenefitstheentiremuseumssector.Renaissanceishelpingmuseumstomeetpeople’schangingneeds-andtochangepeople’slives
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