Royal BC Museum Family Guide

Family Guide

Look inside for fun activities!

Welcome to the Royal BC Museum. There’s a lot for children to explore – and they’ll get so much more from it if adults get involved and encourage them. You can help them with their observations, talk to them about what they are seeing and doing, and help them play (or better yet, play along with them).

Follow your child’s lead

• What are your children interested in? Tidal pools? Totem poles? Trains? Talk about what they like and start there.

• When entering a space take a moment to stop and make general observations. Ask the children what they notice.

• Let them enjoy at their own pace.

Child-size your visit

• Don’t try to see everything in one visit.

Your children, especially preschoolers and those in early grades, can be overwhelmed seeing too many things at one time. Thirty minutes to an hour may be the limit. When they start to say things like “I’m bored” or “It’s cold in here”, it’s either time to take a break or leave. Plan another visit to see what you missed.

Questions you can’t answer?

• Always check the label next to the object to see if there’s more information. Is there a staff member or docent who can help? If more when you get home.

After the visit

• Talk about the visit. Studies have shown that people who talk to someone about an experience, book or movie can recall more information about it later.

• Did you have questions you couldn’t answer at the museum? Follow up to see if • Go online. Many museums, including our own, have kids’ pages to continue the learning.

Choose one exhibition in the museum and try the activities in this booklet. Next time you visit bring your booklet back and do the activities again in a different gallery. Have fun!

Look at a 3D display and imagine what it would be like to live

Write a story about what your life is like as that bear, or rock, or train station bench, or whatever you choose. What happens to you while there, and what happens around you?

Draw a picture of something you see.

Find an object that…



… is your favourite colour.



… is



… is smaller than you.



… is

curly.



… is

smooth.



… is



… is H IDING .



… would make a

bi

er than you.

rough. loud sound.

If you could take something from your home and put it on display at the museum, what would it be?

If you could take one thing home from the museum, what would it be?

Something I learned today‌

?

Find an object you are curious about.

• Write a question you would like to ask it.

• Draw a picture of you asking that object the question.

• Does it answer you? What does it say?

Most of the things you saw at the museum are part of the museum’s collections. Make a list of things you think the museum collects. Now make a list of things you that you might be interested in collecting. When you get home, circle one of the objects on your list and start collecting.

Wonder Sundays Wander back to the museum on the last Sunday of every month (except December) between 1 pm and 3 pm to explore different topics and participate in fun family activities.

Halloween October 30, 2011 Did you ever wonder how Halloween was celebrated a century ago?

Food for Thought November 27, 2011 Did you ever wonder what’s for dinner in Victoria 100 years ago?

Picture Perfect January 29, 2012 Did you ever wonder how a pin-hole camera is made?

First Peoples February 26, 2012 Did you ever wonder what it would be like to live in a pit house?

Sea Lions, Cougars and Bears – Oh My! March 25, 2012 Did you ever wonder what the most dangerous animal in the museum is?

Site and Sound April 29, 2012 Did you ever wonder where that sound was coming from?

Dinosaurs Part 1 May 27, 2012 Did you ever wonder which was faster –T-Rex or a Stegosaurus?

Dirt, Dogwoods June 24, 2012 Did you ever wonder what’s growing around the museum?

Royalty July 29, 2012 Did you ever wonder if you might be related to royalty?

Dinosaurs Part 2 August 26, 2012 Did you ever wonder why dinosaurs went extinct?

Crafting with Archives September 30, 2012 Did you ever wonder how much you could do with just some paper and glue?

Coming back? If you plan to visit the museum more than two times a year — consider membership. Kids can join our new Kid’s Club and enjoy great . www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca