COOL CULTURE

COOL CULTURE: A How to Guide…

There is so much to choose from with your Cool Culture passes. Here are some suggestions to make your visits successful with your young child.

1. Pick a museum or institution that is very child friendly for your first few visits. Although MOMA or the Metropolitan Museum of Art offers wonderful experiences for a child, they may require a bit more restraint than a young child has. Choose a museum were touching and hands on experiences are encouraged like the Hall of Science or Children’s Museum of the Arts.

2. Pick a site that may have a theme or exhibit related to a special interest of your child. But also visit places to spark an interest - but be aware that this may or may not be as successful.

3. Go at a time when your child is rested. There are so many sights, sounds and things to do – a child needs their energy to engage and participate comfortably.

4. Don’t plan long visits! The beauty of the Cool Culture card is free admission – gone are the constraints of “getting your money’s worth” out of the visit. Depending on your child and the institution itself – that may only be 45 minutes.

5. Bring a snack or lunch and take a break. I noted that the NYC Transit Museum had tables where families could stop grab a bite (brought from home) and return to the exhibits for more. You can do this especially at the outdoor programs like Wave Hill or the Botanical Gardens. Often special picnicking areas are available.

6. If you have visited the site before make up a scavenger hunt or eye spy game to help children focus attention. (You will even be able to include these in our binder so that other families can use your ideas for their children!)

7. Bring a sketch pad for older preschool children – they may want to draw what they see.

8. If for some reason the visit was unsuccessful – please don’t give up – try another site or return on another day.

9. You should be receiving E-Family Times – a newsletter to keep you updated about events, by email if you provided an email on your application. If you do not, visit www.coolculture.org to sign up. The Cool Culture website has wonderful information – browse a bit.

10. Visit each program’s web site for information before you go. Get a sense of the place, travel information, special exhibits, etc. Please note Cool Culture is for free general admission. Although some special exhibits or activities may be free, others may have additional charges. You may want to call ahead to find out.
If you have visited a site, please fill out one of our Cool Culture Forms and put it in the guidebook we are compiling in the Big Room. Or if someone has been there before you, sign in on the page – so families can contact each other about their experiences. Blank forms are in the Cool Culture Guidebook in the Big Room.

Also, please bring back a brochure from your visit and place it in the guidebook. Feel free to post photo of you and your child at the site on our Cool Culture bulletin board!