Everyone is a critic, isn’t that how the phrase goes? When it comes to kids and museums…this isn’t a bad thing!  Empowering kids to become museum exhibit critics can get them excited about a topic or a visit that maybe had them dragging their feet initially.

The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center (a preschool based at the Smithsonian Institution) put this idea into practice when it had the Kindergarten class review the Little Golden Books exhibit at the American History museum.  I tagged along to write up what happened, and “translate” some of the ideas and lessons into ones that are easier for families to try.

The question of what kids really get out of a museum visit is something that parents, teachers, museum professionals, and even this blog have been talking about. Many people feel like they do get a lot out of a museum visit—but might not be able to articulate exactly what. Others feel like it is important to go but maybe aren’t as convinced that their younger children are actually learning something.

A kindergarten class visit to the Little Golden Books exhibition recently offered proof of the benefits of museum visits for kids. They arrived charged with a very important mission: review and evaluate the exhibition….continue reading