Enrichment Resources for K-8 Students

The Etch A Sketch, the Hula Hoop, and Lego are three toys that have inspired creative play and enjoyed great popularity.  They are also members of the National Toy Hall of Fame. To date, 56 toys have been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, which is part of The Strong, a wonderful “interactive, collections-based educational institution devoted to the study and exploration of play."  It is one of the largest history museums in the United States and one of the leading museums serving families and children.
 
Toy lovers can participate in this year’s National Toy Hall of Fame selection process by casting their votes (once a day) through November 4, 2015.

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Artwork courtesy of the American Library Association.

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Museum visitors seeking to engage with exhibits appreciate the hands-on educational opportunities museums provide.  Many of these programs include both aesthetic and emotional experiences. One example of an effective aesthetic activity was recently offered at The Phillips Collection during their American Moments exhibition.  The exhibit highlighted examples of Modernism, documentary expression, photojournalism, and street photography. 

In a room featuring portraits of artists, a simple prompt encouraged visitors to notice how each photographer used pose, setting, lighting, and props to reflect each artist’s character. After observing the photographs, visitors could make their own portraits with the following directions for guidance:

1.  Find someone in your own life you’d like to draw. It could be an artist, friend, family member, or even yourself.

2.  Select a frame.

3.  Draw a portrait.  The portrait could be realistic or abstract.  Think about the subject’s personality and include details that help tell his/her story.

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Terracotta statuette of a girl, 3rd century B.C., On view in gallery 171, Metropolitan Museum of Art, OASC image

The Metropolitan Museum of Art recently launched a new digital feature “made for, with, and by 7-12 year old kids."  The multimedia project was created by children from all five boroughs of New York City and around the world in collaboration with specialists from the Museum.  Designed to enhance the museum experience, #MetKids features three primary navigation options that lead to explorations with fascinating objects, intriguing facts, and child-created videos. The experience offers plenty of ideas for creative projects and activities.  You can have fun posing like a sculpture with Olena, age 7 or creating a thaumatrope with Durga, age 11. And where else can you find the powerful god Eros taking a snooze? (It’s rare to spot a sleeping god in ancient Greek art.)

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Image adapted from the 2014 National Book Festival poster

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Work Projects Administration Poster Collection (Library of Congress)

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If you have visited the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in Baltimore, you have experienced an environment filled with self-taught, intuitive artistry.  “Since its opening in 1995, the museum has sought to promote the recognition of intuitive, self-reliant, creative contribution as both an important historic and essential living piece of treasured human legacy.”  The museum’s education goals include “increasing awareness of the wide variety of choices available in life for all . . . particularly students.” This emphasis on self-exploration and creativity is even mirrored in the building’s mosaic exterior.  

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Book lovers appreciate the recommendations of other readers.  My friend Nikki is an avid reader, and I often ask for her “must-read” books.  She is familiar with my interests and rarely lets me down.   

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My Formal Living Room in Perspective, Created by Fabiha, Age 10, Grade 4, Pen and marker on paper, Art Teacher: Nathaniel Solomon

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