Scavenger Hunt: Ask your child to find artworks or artifacts in the museum that fulfill certain criteria. For younger children you could use simple terms, “Find something that is: red…big…round…bumpy.” For older children, you could challenge their art vocabulary, “Find something: realistic…abstract…textured…proportional.” Also, ask the children to find one artwork each that contains his or her favorite colors, shapes, and/or objects.
I Spy: Encourage your child to pick an artwork or artifact in the gallery. Then, the child should describe it to the family (exp. “I spy something blue and shiny”). Each family member takes turns guessing. The person who guesses correctly picks the next object.
Museum Mystery: Each family member should choose an artwork and ask one question about the work (exp: “How was this made?” “Why did the artist choose this subject” “What is an effigy?”). Family members should help one another solve the “mystery,” by: reading for the answer in the label text; trying to deduce the answer from other artworks; questioning the museum staff; or, looking for the answer in books from the museum library.