WIXLIB

BLUE STAR FAMILIESMUSEUMPARENTTOOLKITA guide for before, during, and afteryour family trip to the museum!Leadership support for Blue Star Families programming andpromotional materials has been provided by MetLife Foundation.

PRE-VISITWHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!BLUE STAR FAMILIESArt museums and science centers can bescary places. But they don’t have to be!These, along with children’s museums, naturecenters, and zoos, are all part of one largenetwork of places that you and your familycan have fun, learn new things, and buildAT THE MUSEUMmemories together.HERE ARE A FEW KEY TIPS TO HELP YOU MAKE THE MOST OUT OF YOUR VISIT TO ANY MUSEUM.POST-VISITCHOOSE WISELYDO SOME RECONNAISSANCE.You don’t have to visit an art museum on yourCheck out the museum’s website for special programsfirst outing with children. Visit a Zoo or Children’sand Family Day events. Often you will find specialMuseum. These are comfortable places that youtours and activities geared for families or films andmay have memories of from your own childhood.music events that will complement your visit. ChooseOr, be adventurous and challenge yourself to ato visit the zoo when they feed the animals or havenew experience. Sometimes the best memorieskeeper talks. See what exhibitions are on view. Doesare created when you do something unexpectedthe museum have a painting by an artist that you liketogether. Remember, the museum will have guidesor that your child studied in school?and resources to help you have a great visit. Youdon’t have to know anything about Renaissance artto have a great time exploring and learning together.ACTIVITY PRINTOUTSDECIDE WHAT TIME OF DAY TO GO.GATHER SUPPLIES.Take some plain paper and colored pencils with you.A clipboard is handy if you have one. This way, yourfamily can draw in the gallery or along the natureWhen works best for your family’s schedule? Do youpath. Often crayons and pens are not allowed, butor the kids get cranky in the afternoon? Are you anpencils are always good. Throw some snacks in thereearly riser? Choosing the time that works best helpsand you have a ready made art pack that will workyou enjoy the visit when energy levels are highest.anywhere you go.CHECK OUT THE LOGISTICS.KEEP IT SHORT!While on the museum’s website, check out the hoursPick one exhibition to view or one area to explore.of operation and the parking situation. Are strollersYou can always return! If your family demands moreallowed? Is the parking nearby? Is there a cafeteria ortime, you have succeeded! Congratulations.should you pack snacks? Is there a gift shop that youwill want to visit or avoid?Join our free network at bluestarfam.orgBlue Star Museums Parent Toolkit

PRE-VISITAT THE MUSEUMBLUE STAR FAMILIESYou have arrived! Whether you are visitinga children’s museum, a science center, ahistoric house, a battleground, or an artmuseum, these tips will help you have amemorable time.Now the FUN can begin.AT THE MUSEUMFIRST THINGS FIRSTYour first stop will be the Welcome Desk. This area is often supported by volunteers or staff who know everythingabout this museum. And, they want to share it all with you! Pick up a map and find out where the restrooms, thecafeteria and the gift shop are. Let the staff help you design your visit. Ask if there are family guides or activitybooks for your children.POST-VISITWhen you head off, it can be overwhelming. These tools and games will put you at ease. Remember, there are nowrong answers in museums when you look at art, explore new ideas, or see new things.MIND YOUR MUSEUM MANNERSLook with your eyes and not your fingers! Sometimes it is helpful for young children to put their fingers in theirpockets or hold someone’s hand.Loud voices and running are for outdoors, soft voices and quiet steps can be fun and mysterious.ACTIVITY PRINTOUTSIf there are areas that allow touching, find those! If you are at a zoo or children’s museum, be aware of the rulesfor safety. You want to leave in the same shape you arrived!SPECIAL MILITARY DISCOUNTSFirst, ask if there are additional fees for any special exhibit or experience at the museum. Often, an IMAX moviecosts extra, but there may be a military discount. Also, there may be a discount in the café or the gift shop thatyou want to take advantage of during your visit. Always ask!Join our free network at bluestarfam.orgBlue Star Museums Parent Toolkit

PRE-VISITAT THE MUSEUMBLUE STAR FAMILIESGAMES TO PLAY WITH YOUR FAMILYFor young children (K-2)Choose 3 activities for a 1- hour visit.These suggestions are designed for art museums as they are the most challenging for first time visitors.However, you can play these games anywhere with simple changes.AT THE MUSEUMI SPY: Pick a painting or object in the galley, but don’tSHAPE AND COLOR SURVEY: Look at paintings andtell. Say, “I spy with my little eye,” and give some hints.try to find as many shapes and colors as possible. Draw“It’s red.” “It’s round.” “It’s really big!” Let everyone guess.the shapes you see. Do the colors make you feel aWhoever guesses correctly goes next.certain way?ALL YOUR SENSES: Choose one painting and pretendWHAT IS THIS?: Find something you have never seenyou are in it. What noises would you hear? What smellsbefore. Try to guess what it is or what it was used for inwould you notice? What else might you see just beyondthe past. Is it similar to something you have today?the frame? What would it feel like to be there? Whatmight you taste? Adapt this for a zoo and pretend youPOST-VISITare one of the animals. In a science center, pretend youare a wave or a light bulb. At a military museum, whatwould it feel like to be the airplane or ship as it movedat top speed?ACT IT OUT: Pose like the people in a painting or movelike an animal you see. How does that feel? Can youmake up a dance to go with the painting or act outwhat the people may be saying to each other? Becomea pack of lions and roar at one another!STORY CHAIN: Pick a painting, an object or an animalexhibit and gather around it. Begin your story with justone sentence. “It was the happiest day of my life.” Letthe next person continue with a few more sentences.Keep building on the story until you get to the end.ACTIVITY PRINTOUTSDraw a picture of what the end looks like.Join our free network at bluestarfam.orgBlue Star Museums Parent Toolkit

PRE-VISITAT THE MUSEUMBLUE STAR FAMILIESGAMES TO PLAY WITH YOUR FAMILYFor children (grades 3-5)Choose 3 activities for a 1- hour visitGUESSING GAME: Pick a work of art or somethingBLIND DRAWING: Choose one person to be theyou see nearby, but don’t tell. Choose 5 adjectives totalker and the others will draw. The talker will choosedescribe it. See if anyone can guess correctly.something they can see and start describing it. TheAT THE MUSEUMMEMORIES: Pick a work of art that reminds you ofsomething or someone in your family. Maybe it’s Mom’sothers will all draw. Compare the drawings with thereal object and discuss the results.favorite color, looks like the water you swam in oneQUICK TAKE: Take a quick look around the gallery.time or a holiday you celebrate together. It can be aWhat do you think? Was there anything that grabbedperson, place, or event that you share now with youryour eye? Was there something you like and want tofamily.look at more closely? If not, move on. It’s ok to walkWHAT TO BUY: Divide into 3 teams. Two teams lookthrough and not be interested in everything!POST-VISITaround and find one work they would buy. The teamsWHAT’S NEXT?: If you were in the painting, whatpresent their work to the “jury” and argue back andwould happen next after this scene? What do theforth over the merits of their choice. The jury decidesanimals do when there are no visitors? Do the exhibitswho has made the better case.come to life like in the movies? Pretend you are oneWHAT TO TAKE AS A SOUVENIR: Think aboutwhat you would take home if you could. Should youchoose a giraffe or a bear? Would you take a bed froma submarine or some moon rocks? See if your wholeof the characters in a painting and create a story thattakes place in the next 10 minutes, 10 days, or 10years. You can act it out, draw something, write a storyor just talk together.family can agree on something.ACTIVITY PRINTOUTSJoin our free network at bluestarfam.orgBlue Star Museums Parent Toolkit

PRE-VISITAT THE MUSEUMGAMES TO PLAY WITH YOUR FAMILYBLUE STAR FAMILIESFor children (grades 6-12)NEWS BULLETIN: Choose something you see. WriteSYMBOL SEARCH: Look for symbols in works ofa news update for this work, this object, this animal,art. You probably know lots of symbols from your lifeor this place. What is the headline? When did this takealready .religious symbols, restaurant symbols, militaryplace? Who was involved? What was the outcome?ribbons, pins, and flags. These are found in works of artAT THE MUSEUMPORTRAITS: Before there were selfies, there wereportraits. Choose one to look at. Would you like tomeet this person? Describe the person you chose.What is the facial expression? Can you see thehands? How is the person posed? What is the settingof the portrait? Why do you think this portrait waspainted? How do you think this person wants to beremembered?too. Search these out and see what they tell you aboutthe painting. A stack of books means the person wasliterate and well read. A map may hint that the persontraveled a lot. Fancy clothes and jewelry tell us that theperson had wealth and wanted us to know it today.Sometimes you see animals that represent somethingelse. Eggs and young animals symbolize birth. Wings onpeople or animals can symbolize freedom.POST-VISITACTIVITY PRINTOUTSJoin our free network at bluestarfam.orgBlue Star Museums Parent Toolkit

EXPERIENCE EXTENSION:PRE-VISITBRINGING IT HOMEBLUE STAR FAMILIESNow that you haveenjoyed time at amuseum with yourfamily, keep theexperience aliveat home.AT THE MUSEUMACTIVITY:Have your child draw a picture of their favorite artwork, animal, object,or experience.ACTIVITY:POST-VISITFind a book at the library on a topic that your family learned about at themuseum. Perhaps you discovered a new artist, a new culture, or a new invention.Read about an animal and its habitat or a new place you would now like to visit.ACTIVITY:Cut out and decorate cardboard frames and display your child’s masterpiecesat home.SHARE:Look at and share photos you took at the museum to relive the experience.ACTIVITY PRINTOUTSACTIVITY:Go back to the museum’s website. Many museums have resources online likegames and puzzles that are specific to that site.ACTIVITY:Enter Blue Star Museum’s Way Cool Creativity Contest! You can enter aftervisiting any Blue Star Museum. You can find a list of museums that participatein our program at our website bluestarfam.orgSHARE:Post online or tweet using the #bluestarmuseums so that we can hear all aboutyour experience.Join our free network at bluestarfam.orgStart planning yournext visit. If you justwent to a zoo, thinkabout a historical site orbattlefield to visit. If youwent to an art museum,check out a science ornature center. The wideworld of museums iswaiting for you!And, if you took yourkids, think about makingyour next trip adults only.There are wonderfulprograms designed foradults that are socialand great for makingnew connections in yourcommunity.This resource is brought toyou by Blue Star Familiesand is one of the numerousbenefits you receive as amember. Please share withanyone you know thatwould enjoy these benefitsas well.Blue Star Museums Parent Toolkit

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY:MAKE A SOUVENIRArtist Name:BLUE STAR FAMILIESTitle of Work:Caption/Description:Signature:Date: / /

PRINTABLE ACTIVITY:MASH UPBLUE STAR FAMILIESChoose the head from one work of art, the body from another and the feet from a third. Remember, you canmix in animals or objects! Wouldn’t you love to have tractor wheels for feet or the body of a tiger?HEADInspiration came from:BODYInspiration came from:FEETInspiration came from:

museum. Perhaps you discovered a new artist, a new culture, or a new invention. Read about an animal and its habitat or a new place you would now like to visit. Cut out and decorate cardboard frames and display your child’s masterpieces at home. Look at and shar