Whilst I have taken my children to various galleries and museums, I sometimes struggle with connecting them to art in a more realistic way and relate it back to their own lives. So when I heard about the Ilham Kids! Art Discovery Tours at Ilham Gallery recently, I immediately signed up.
A few days before the tour, I was emailed a complete intro pack with a full overview of what will be covered and how to prepare your child for the tour. The intro pack was also complete with details on where to park, what to pack (water and snacks) and even lunch options in the area after the tour!
The current exhibition at the gallery is ‘Era Mahathir’. The collections look at the Mahathir period from a visual arts perspective. The children were invited to discuss the symbols and results of development during that time. They were encouraged to discover art as social commentary as well as have fun experimenting with architectural design.
Parental facilitation is very important for children to start appreciating and creating art themselves. The tour is very child centered and so there were a few singing breaks as well as snack time. There was also no attempt to simplify the symbolism – the children were invited to discuss the problems faced by some communities who didn’t really benefit from the developments and whether all developments like big buildings are even a good thing. Parents had a nice time listening to all the responses!
Craft time at Ilham Kids!
The session ended with craft time to encourage children to do art work in a facilitated environment. It was really fun watching the kids open their packs and start building KLCC after so many earlier discussions about the iconic building.
Ilham Gallery’s Art Discovery was fantastic for the kids and also very useful for me to learn how to get the kids started on art appreciation.
Run by two very organised and creative moms, the tours cater to different age groups, 6-8 and 9-12. You need to book in advance via email in order to join – check out the website for upcoming dates.
Fee is RM20, tours begin at 10 am.
Ilham Gallery, Level 3 & 5, Tower No 8, Jalan Binjai, 50450, Kuala Lumpur. Email: info@ilhamgallery.com
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