Visiting galleries was fine when my son was asleep in the sling – now he’s a boisterous explorer. It’s made me wonder: should we be sticking to exhibitions aimed at children?
O
h, for the days of the sleeping babe in the sling. It must have driven more seasoned parents mad when I waxed lyrical about how easy, how special, it was to bring my son with me to a gallery or museum. Now he’s a toddler who can change direction like a squirrel and is rather taken with the word “no”. And I’m beginning to wonder: should we be sticking to exhibitions and events targeted at children?
I’m not a joiner, and the thought of stay-and-plays and singalongs is enough to send me running. And yet, here I am, parking the buggy, unbuckling my son and walking with him, with some trepidation, towards a “family-friendly drop-in” at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
Five stars, he cries! Or he would if he could, ogling a knight on a horse, gleaming in silver armour. I gently coax him into the next gallery – Arts of the Near East – where we find a few other parent-child duos and a couple of smiley staff members. I brace myself, anticipating instruction, but it quickly becomes clear that these events – free to attend; no need to book – are child-led and oh-so-loosely structured (to my relief, no organised fun). There’s a table with colouring pencils and paper. Big, squashy cushions and stripy rugs. Books and building blocks, musical instruments and gauzy fabrics, which the children are welcome to play with, or not.
