Abstract
The paper focuses on infant and toddler programming developed over the past fifteen years in museums and art galleries, contributing to a shift in perceptions about the place of very young children in museums and the benefits that early engagement with art and cultural heritage can have for them and their families. After reviewing relevant programmes and applied practices in Greek and international museums, the study considers the design and implementation of a programme for children 1-2 years old and their families at the Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments. The programme was designed in the context of the course “Introduction to Museum Education” and was implemented in collaboration with students from the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care at the University of West Attica. The arts play a vital role in the development and well-being of infants and toddlers. Their integration in museum programmes for this age group not only serves aesthetic cultivation, but also fosters family bonding, and, in some cases, supports psychotherapeutic goals. The museum programme combined emotional and social aims with the development of auditory, motor, and rhythmic skills, while familiarizing toddlers and their families with elements of Greece’s tangible and intangible musical heritage. The paper examines art pedagogies in the museum, highlighting how infants’ and toddlers’ encounters with art and culture form a multisensory event, in which museum educators are called to act simultaneously as enablers and performers.
Presenters
Despina KalessopoulouAssistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, University of West Attica, Attiki, Greece
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
INFANT/TODDLER ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAMMING, FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, MUSEUM PEDAGOGY, HERITAGE
