What Can You Do with Children at Kluge-Ruhe?

Excitement at one of our inter-generational hands-on workshops.

Children exploring one of the touchable objects in our education drawer.

The cover of our Coloring Book. Available in the gift shop for $9.95.

One of our favorite children's books about the Australian wombat.

An example of our easy scavenger hunt.

SCAVENGER HUNTS

For each exhibition of our permanent collection, we create two scavenger hunts: an easy version for children aged 3 – 6 that does not require reading or writing skills, and a hard version for ages 5 – 12 for children who want to read about the artworks and answer questions about them. The time it takes to complete the scavenger hunts vary, but both versions typically take children 20 – 30 minutes to complete.

PARTICIPATORY ACTIVITIES

For each special exhibition, we create engaging activities for people of all ages in our breezeway space. They typically introduce a prominent idea from the exhibition and encourage visitors to write or draw a response to that idea. Sometimes the activity is more hands-on. For example, when we exhibit ceramic works, visitor can work with clay to complete their own creation. Or, when we highlight bark painting, we set out natural ochres from Australia and hand-made brushes so visitors can try their hand at painting with natural materials. These activities are designed for anyone, but they are especially helpful for facilitating inter-generational conversations about the art and fostering appreciation through making. The time that visitors spend with these activities varies, from 10 – 90 minutes.

In the same room as these activities is a TV that shows short videos relating to the artwork on view.

OUR HANDS-ON EDUCATION DRAWER

We have an Education Drawer that contains a number of objects that can be explored through touch, including sheets of bark, ochres, a painting on canvas, a boomerang, clapping sticks and more. Please ask the gallery attendant or staff member for access and explanation.

LIBRARY

We have set aside a number of children’s books in our beautiful library that focus on Aboriginal themes and Australian animals and landscapes. Feel free to peruse them with your children!

COLORING BOOK OF AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS

In 2018 we published our very own Coloring Book of Australian Animals. It is available in the Kluge-Ruhe gift shop for $9.95. Feel free to buy one and color in the breezeway or library! Ask the gallery attendant for a baggy of crayons.

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION

Our ADA access is helpful for strollers, and you are welcome to leave your stroller near the coat rack or in the breezeway while you look around the galleries. A Koala Kare baby-changing table is available in the public restroom beyond the gift shop.

We offer children’s programs and inter-generational art-making workshops on a fairly consistent basis. Check our calendar to see what’s upcoming.