Tip #12 for Visiting the Museum with Young Children: Use a Map

 

On those (now rare) occasions when I visit a museum by myself I go back and forth on whether to use a map or not.  Many times I'm in the mood to just explore and wander aimlessly--even getting lost can be the highlight of a visit if I turn a corner I've never known existed and find an object I've never seen.  I figure I can find a map later or just ask for directions if I'm truly unsure of where to go next.  I guess I like to pretend I'm more relaxed and fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants than I actually am.  At least for an hour in a beautifully clean and ordered space.

When I visit with kids and we pass the rack with maps it is almost impossible to talk them out of immediately grabbing a map and hitting their brother with it.  Not that I'm speaking from personal experience on that last part. 

So I acquiesce and the map (or several copies) get thrown on top of the stroller canopy and off we go. And it turns out those maps have come in handy half way through.  I've been known to hand a restless baby a map for a few precious entertained minutes.  I've used a good map for a spontaneous matching game.  I've handed over a pencil dug from the bottom of the diaper bag to an older toddler for some sketching on the back of a map sheet. 

And now my older two children are old enough to be intrigued on how a map actually works!

This brings us to my (in no particular order) list of tips and tricks for making a museum visit a success.  Number 12 (again, in no particular order--I just like to have random numbers in here to make it seem all official) is Use a Map with Your Child in Command.  Da-da-da-dum!

Make a kid the leader and boy, have you got yourself a recipe for a happy visit. 

Let me repeat.  The kid is the boss of where you go.  When you go.  And you follow.  It's absolutely great, I assure you.

My boys love to spread out the map and see which colors/sections/numbers/rooms they want to visit first.  Honestly, we may never actually make it there, depending on the size of the museum and what distracts us along the way.  But the simple fact that they are in charge . . . whew!  That means visiting the museum is the coolest field trip in town. 

And if we get desperate, we can always fold a paper airplane to fly in the atrium.  Staying far away from that very large and very pointy and very breakable glass sculpture.

And off we go!

Let me know how it goes for you on your next museum visit if you give this tip a try!  Does your child like to be in charge?  Do you follow the map exactly, or use it as a vague reference?  Does a nice older lady stop and tell you your baby has a wad of inked-up paper in their fist when you're just trying to enjoy those last few quiet seconds?  I'd love to hear any and all anecdotes!