If there is one game my preschool-age boys never tire of, it is I Spy. We use it all the time in places we need to behave well but stay alert and occupied (like doctors' offices, the post office line, waiting for our food at a restaurant, etc.). I Spy translates really really well to the museum, as my kids and I just found out!
To put a spin on the tried and true game, having just read the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Shapes book, we decided to find all the triangles we could during one visit to the MFA Boston. We only took in the Egyptian collection and the Medieval collection on that trip (actually, no, we did get into some of the Contemporary art on that trip, but what we found there is a different post). We had a friend and his mom visiting with us, which made the game all the more fun for having another set of eyes and another pointing hand guiding us on our "Spotting the Shape" game.
Pyramids were a very exciting first discovery. Of course, there were only pictures of the Great Pyramids at Giza on the labels, but after some hard seeking we did find a small triangle hieroglyph on a large relief panel found at the Giza plateau. Can you spot it?
Then we found this sarcophagus in the transition room to the Etruscan, Greek and Roman. I have to admit, I don't remember if this one is Egyptian or an example from the other civilizations. (Bad museum mommy!) But in any case, it has a triangle hidden among the other swirly and leafy decorations.
My five-year-old was a little dubious about that triangle pattern on the sarcophagus.
He was easier to convince in the Medieval religious art galleries. I myself was surprised how many triangles we found in that gallery, once we were looking for them! First we found a triangular shape on the tippy top of a fancy and quite expansive reliquary (I think it held upwards of fifteen Saints' mementos). The boys were absolutely fascinated when we mommies explained to them that little bits of people--Saints--were kept safe in these boxes for other people to come see when they went to church. It was hard to get them off that subject as they tried to understand and process those unfamiliar ideas!
Luckily there was plenty of other glitter and gold and triangles in the gallery to continue to find.
This take on I Spy is just a small little update on a perennial favorite. However, I was excited as it opens up the possibility of many future visits to various museums looking for any type of shape, or a prize to the person to find one one of each type, or any number of other small variations to keep the game fresh and fun. I especially appreciate having a trick up my sleeve when things are getting out of hand or a tool in my belt to whip out when a visit just isn't progressing as planned.
What shapes are you and your preschooler or toddler going to be searching for on your next museum visit? Would this work at a different kind of museum? Shapes appear in nature and science, of course. Could we find some at those types of museums? Hoping to see you spotting some shapes at the museum soon!
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