Taking Kids to Art Museums: Why I Started Young
There’s a moment every parent of a toddler in a museum knows. The one where a docent’s eyes flick toward you, then toward your kid, then back to you, and you can feel the exit strategy already forming in your head. I’ve had that moment more times than I can count, but I kept going anyway. It wasn’t because I’m immune to the stares, and not because my kids were somehow quiet, well-behaved little museum patrons from birth. They weren’t. We’ve had meltdowns in galleries, tears at the symphony, and more than one rapid exit strategy deployed mid-exhibit. But somewhere between the baby carrier years and now, I realized something: the outings that felt hardest in the moment were the ones building something I couldn’t see yet.
This is the case for taking your kids to art museums, restaurants, and everywhere else on your list, starting younger than you think you should. Here’s why we’ve never stopped, and what it’s actually taught all of us along the way. This post contains affiliate links.
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Table of contents
Why I started bringing them along.
It was easy when they were babies. Little nurslings I could tuck into a carrier and go on about our lives, whether that was hiking or urban exploring. As they got a little older, I had a strict routine for naptime and bedtime, but I still continued to bring my kids along for the adventures in between. Eventually they started holding their own on the trail and taking interest in exploring their little world. Both my husband and I saw the value in bringing them with us, and that’s why we take the kids to art museums, to restaurants, to trails, and to every place along our way. I credit our parents with giving us this awareness of exposing our children to a wide range of environments.
Early on, I’m talking four year old preschool, we decided to homeschool. I decided that while we may homeschool, that didn’t mean we had to stay at home. I cultivate our adventure day routine and many times, that involved a trip to a museum and I wasn’t afraid of taking kids to art museums.
Why I kept taking them, even when it was hard.
While many of those outings ended in tears from all parties, we kept pressing onward, often despite glares or stares from others. But we never did it disrespectfully. Every situation we entered, we did so with an acute awareness of how disruptive we might be, and we tried our best to minimize that. The flip side of always bringing them along is having a rapid exit strategy for when it’s obvious we’re disrupting the space. That’s also part of our “why.” We believe that by exposing our children to a wide range of environments from a young age, they learn how to behave and how to engage.
My top 3 reasons for taking kids to art museums.
There are a lot of reasons we started taking our children to museums, art galleries, restaurants, the symphony, and more. Here are my top three.
The experiences build a worldview.
It may seem pointless to take a toddler to an art museum, but the experiences have a cumulative effect. Every visit builds into their experience bank and attunes them to pay attention. It might not seem like they’re getting anything out of it. But, I promise you, they’re absorbing more than you realize. It’s training their habits, their ability to pay attention, and forming important connections about the world around them, and beyond them.
It teaches learned behavior.
Taking young children to these places is generally frowned upon, and I’ve been met with everything from grumpy stares to snide remarks. But I’ve also been met with smiles and genuine warmth for sharing these experiences with our kids. I’m always respectful of where we are, and I’ll remove my children if they’re being disruptive. Starting them young taught them how to act.
When we had the pleasure of attending the opening of The Momentary in Bentonville, there were no other children present that day. But I was able to easily experience it with a five- and eight-year-old, because they’d already been taught how to behave in these environments. They knew what was okay to touch, what wasn’t, and could observe the art. Often times, they noticed things that I may have overlooked. It’s not an easy habit to build, but it’s important and will serve them (and you) well in the long run.
It keeps me learning alongside them.
Bringing them along means I’ve had the chance to keep growing my own education alongside theirs. In our family, we treat learning as a lifelong process. I’ll never forget the time my kids and I stood in front of a Georgia O’Keeffe together at Crystal Bridges. That moment was special for them, but maybe even more special for me, because we experienced it together. I’ve learned about artists I never knew, absorbed new insights about history I hadn’t heard before, and deepened my own knowledge about our world thanks to this wonderful, homeschool life.
Why it’s worth going back.
One of the other big reasons we make the effort is impermanence. Exhibits change, artists rise and fall, and shows move on. We’ve had the chance to see traveling exhibits in Phoenix at the art museum, in Oklahoma City at the 21c Museum Hotel when it opened, in Bentonville for a full exhibit dedicated to crystals, and in El Dorado (Arkansas) for an immersive art experience. Every one of those exhibits has since been dismantled and moved on. 21c constantly cycles its art to curate a new experience for visitors. A visit to any museum, art or otherwise, is never the same experience twice, which makes it worth revisiting.
How I prepare my kids for a museum visit.
For our family, the taking kids to art museums starts before we even get in the car to head there. Before any trip, I introduce an artist, a specific piece of art we will look at, a period in history, anything that will help them build connections from what we’re studying, to seeing it in real life. Many times, I found picture books relating to any art we would encounter. For example: reading a book about Yayoi Kusama before we experienced the infinity room, My Heart is Dancing Into the Universe, at Crystal Bridges museum of art.
Other ways to prepare:
- We talk about what is “green light” and what is “red light” type actions. I throw out examples like “running in the exhibits” or “touching the art” as examples to discuss if that behavior is red light or green light.
- Watch documentaries or YouTube videos on topics that relate to the museum.
- Look at a museum website to see which pieces are highlighted in their collection and research those. Check both the permanent collection and the limited time exhibits.
- Read books and picture books about artists found in the museum.
- Do art projects and picture study that goes along with the artist. For example: Yayoi Kusama is so fun for younger ages because its’ all about the polka dots. Kandinsky is also a great artist study for younger ages with the colorful, circular patterns.
- If you have to drive over an hour to get to the museum, plan a quick stop at a park or walking path before the museum to get the wiggles out.
- For us, it always worked best to arrive at the museum right when they open, and leave by lunchtime.
- Make your plan for snacks, lunch, etc. ahead of time so you’re ready when they get hungry and/or cranky.
A few money saving tips.
There are a few tricks I have up my sleeve for making these excursions affordable. One of the best is traveling during non-peak times, off-season and on weekdays. Hotels are usually cheaper midweek and earlier in the week. Our stays at 21c have always been on weeknights, when I found great last-minute deals through the Hotels app.
Memberships are also a great way to save money. We have a membership to a nearby science museum that’s part of the ASTC Passport program, which gets us free admission to other participating museums. The Momentary offers a membership with reciprocal benefits through NARM. Some of these cost more upfront, but if you plan your travel around visiting member museums, they’re worth the investment. They also make great non-toy, non-“stuff” gift ideas.
One last tip.
Lastly, I’m not afraid to have my kids share food, especially at fine dining spots that don’t have a kids’ menu. Order an appetizer for everyone to share and call it dinner. Or order one entree for the kids to split. I don’t ask about splitting fees or extra plates. I know that can come across as a little bold, but it’s a cost-saving habit that’s worked for us for years.
Frequently Asked Questions.
Immediately! Infants in carriers are always easy to take because they’ll most likely sleep the whole time. Toddlers require more planning and patience. Around age 6 they’ll begin to remember these visits and you can plan for a more impactful trip.
Some museums, like the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, have kid explorer packs that you can pick up at the front desk. These often have scavenger hunts, mini lessons and activities for the kids to do. If the museum doesn’t have that, then I make sure that we study at least one piece of art for my kids to look for or make my own scavenger hunt for them.
Don’t be embarrassed, even if the docents are being mean to you. You and your children have a right to exist in this space. At the same time, be mindful of being disruptive to other patrons. Bring along a small, favorite stuffy or toy to give them and make your way to the nearest exit or common space, preferably outside, where fresh air is good for everyone.
Here’s to lifelong learning.
While our homeschool journey is in it’s final 6 years, we believe that it’s actually a lifelong pursuit. Yes, I’ll still be visiting museums even after my children graduate, and hopefully alongside them still. Taking kids to art museums is such a valuable learning experience, for all ages and stages. Yes, sometimes it’s hard but I can promise you that it’s worth it. Here’s to chasing the wonder, whever you may wander.
For more homeschool related stories, check out these blog posts.
- Six of the best museums in Oklahoma City.
- Five of the best memberships for families.
- New York City with Teens at Christmas.
About the author.
Nichole is a writer, content creator, and family travel and adventure influencer residing in southwest Arkansas. Though her and her husband (Ryan) are originally from the midwest, they’ve lived in Arkansas for 13 years and are thrilled to call it home. They have homeschooled their children from the beginning of their educational journey. They have a now 15 year old son and 12 year old daughter, along with a 4 year old, 120 pound Direwolf Dog named Levi. Nichole is an avid outdoor adventurer and roadtripper and has been taking her kids on adventures by herself since they were infants, it’s all part of what she calls being responsibly brave. She is also on the Executive Team for Run Wild My Child and has contributed to Wild and Free. Be sure to follow her on Instagram to stay up to date with all of their shenanigans.
