To wonder if the National Gallery is the best choice for year 1 and 2children?

[SpringingAllTheWay]

Maybe IABU but I don't personally feel it's a great day our for 5-7 year olds. Each year the whole school goes on a trip and this year it's the National Gallery. Nursery and Reception are off to the zoo as the school feel that the national Gallery would be too boring for the younger ones.

I feel it's also a bit boring for year 1! Unless you like looking at art etc, it really isn't much of a fun day out IMO! It is really not DS's type of thing and after speaking to others in the playground, most of us feel our dc would prefer the zoo!

Aibu to think the school hasn't really considered that if a class of 5 year olds (R) would find it boring, maybe a class of (yr1) 5 year olds might too?!

[BeanutPutter]

YABU - you haven't experienced the trip yourself and are already judging it. How is the day organised? I am sure they won't just be moving 5 year olds around a gallery. There will likely be some other activities relating to the pictures viewed.

At what age do you think art should become accessible?

[hanaka88]

It might be an educational thing more than a fun day out thing. It is school after all

[Bearcrumble]

My son's not that old yet but I wouldn't expect him to go crazy over paintings when he's 5. There are so many other museums in London with stuff aimed especially at that age group it seems a bit silly to take them there - I'm thinking the Launch Pad bit at the Science Museum, the dinosaurs at the Natural History museum or the Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green.

[wonkylegs]

It may surprise you but kids like lots of things outside their comfort zone if it's approached right.
Depends how they tackle it on the day but there is no reason even Y1 can't enjoy a day looking at art.
Just because it's not obviously 'fun' doesn't mean it won't be and they won't get a lot out of it.

[EdithWeston]

It's a brilliant place to visit; are they going to be following a particular theme?

[noeyedeer]

YABU - the national Gallery have activities and workshops specifically aimed at your son's age group. If the school have made use of the Gallery's expertise then the day shouldn't be spent traipsing around looking at pictures but using the pictures to inspire lots of other work.

[torchpaper]

Why? My year 2 child has always loved galleries. If they have activities to do, they really enjoy them

[DinahMoHum]

YABU, I think itx great, and i think British children are culture starved as a whole, so im glad to see that this is actually a trip for young children

[littleducks]

The National Gallery is a yr 1 trip at my dd's school. The year go on the tube, I am not sure if they go for a full day or come back in time for a late lunch so they don't have to carry to much stuff. I know that she is really looking formward to it, as our several of her friends, after hearing from the yr 2s in the playground how much fun it was last year.

They have been studying some paintings already and are really keen to see them for 'real' which is perhaps helpful. They spent several weeks with 'A Starry Night' and one I can't recall the name of (dead flowers in a vase?) as a theme, making their own version using different art techniques, writing peoms and stories etc.

[PinkCanary]

I took a group of my mindees (age range 4 to 7) to Tate Liverpool last summer. They loved it. In fact they made observations about some pieces that had staff stunned coz they hadn't considered a child's perspective.

[Eskarina]

At my school Reception went to the National Gallery last year and it was amazing! They did a "magic carpet" storytelling session and followed the Katie trail (linked to James Mayhew's books) and had a whale of a time.

[Dustinthewind]

The primary school talks at the gallery are fantastic, and the activities are great.
It is always interesting to put children used to wham, bam press the button and you get an all-round media experience, to something completely different and watch the WOW factor at work.
How do you know it's not DS's sort of thing? He's 5, perfect age for having an pen mind about new experiences.

[Molehillmountain]

It's not the same on a school trip-they will more than likely have a workshop aimed at their age group to help them access the paintings. The education departments of museums and galleries are brilliant these days. Your dc will love it.

[littleducks]

Why not take a look at some of the activities they do for families at the weekend? I think they do cater for children well

[cory]

Whether a 5yo enjoys paintings or not will depend on the adults they are with. My mother was great at making things come alive; a trip with her was at least as good as watching a good film. And that was just walking around telling stories about the pictures. On this kind of trip there will be art activities, hands-on stuff, adults specially trained in engaging the intention of this age group.

I feel a bit sad at the thought of a group of parents limiting their children's interests by getting together in the playground and deciding they can't possibly enjoy this experience. How about letting the children decide for themselves? The beauty of this age group is that they are still open to so many new things, they haven't gone all narrow and blase and "eeeeuuugh, I don't want thaaaaat".

[amistillsexy]

I wish my sons' school would take them to an art gallery every now and again!

Our school trip last year was a day out to The Yorkshire Show...complete with 2 hour coach trip there and back, massive show ground (potentially raining), huge crowds and lots and lots of stalls selling Barber Jackets.
We're a farming community, so they have plenty of chance to see (and work with!) animals and tractors.
Their school 'theme' was nothing to do with farming (space, as I recall).
I wonder who THAT trip was for.

I take mine to art galleries most holidays. The one who loves looking at art (Y1 now) has always just wandered around in awe and wonderment, then parks himself in front of the painting that most takes his fancy and draws it in his sketch book. The other two (YR and Y3) are not too into it, but enjoy the entire visit, the archetecture, sculpture, paintings, special exhibitions...it's a great day out! Will they be going by bus or coach through London? Or by Tube? either way will be an exciting journey with the whole school.

I think you should be very glad your children's school has their wider educational needs at heart.

[fuzzPigwickPapers]

YABU, it's a great educational trip. If the teachers talk about it as an exciting place, then the pupils will be excited. If they've never been to a gallery before they will have no concept of it being "boring".

I expect for many children, a school trip will be the only chance they have to go to somewhere like that - not all parents can (or want to) go to these places in their spare time - and I thought one purpose of school trips was to give children opportunities like that.

[rubyhorse]

YABU - my DD's Y2 class went to a gallery last week and enjoyed it so much that she took us all to the same place again at half term. I was wondering whether DS(5) would get on with it, but it was ace - picked up a couple of their special children's trails, and they were really engaged and entertained.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

I guarantee they'll be doing an activity, not just sitting on a bench staring. I know a couple of educators at the National Portrait Gallery next door and what they do with schoolchildren, the NG will be very similar.

[SarahSlaughter]

YABU - we've been taking our two (now 4 yo) tobart galeries since they were about 18months. They have always loved them.

Most galleries have at least a few displays that are child friendly and eith the rest you just need to approach everything in an enthusiastic manner, ask them which is their favourite/least favourite picture in the room, which colours they like best, what story they think the artist was trying to tell, why do they think the artist painted the figures without clothes etc.

The children's responses can be by turns interesting and hysterical.

My two go to one of of our local galleries at least once a month and we took them to both the Tate Modern and Tate Liverpool on weekends away last year - both big hits.

I'm sure your DC will enjoy it.

[corlan]

YABU - the National Gallery has some amazing paintings that very young children have no trouble enjoying.

There's whistlejacket an almost lifesize portrait of a horse which is breathtaking.

tiger

and my favourite mummy dressed up for a night out.

[fuzzPigwickPapers]

Unfortunately if parents go on about it being boring then a child may well not get anything out of it.

My DSDs are a prime example. They were always naturally enthusiastic, curious girls... It was drummed out of them by their mum (whom they live with). EVERY time they got excited about something like art, or music (other than the latest pop), she would - and still does - instantly go on about how boring it was, how it was 'posh', etc. Inverse snobbery at its finest.

So for example they LOVE music from Pirates, Harry Potter etc which is all basically classical - but mention the word classical and they say they hate it. If they had a soundtrack CD it would get banned from their stereo.

Now I am NOT saying that everyone needs to enjoy these "higher culture" type things, but it is so frustrating that they've had the chance taken away from them.

[SpringingAllTheWay]

Thank you for your views. It has actually made me change my mind somewhat! I genuinely thought my ds would be bored. I hadn't considered the fact they would do stuff specifically for the children, I had envisaged them just walking around and looking at the pictures!
We've not taken them to the National Gallery before but when we've been to stately homes and gardens which we enjoy looking round, ds has always not enjoyed looking round this type of thing!

[Bonsoir]

I think that Y1 and Y2 ought to be moved on from the zoo to art by school. If your DS still loves the zoo (which is very reasonable!) you can take him in your own time.