Virtual Family Adventures
Registration for spring 2021 is now open! Join us on Tuesdays or on Thursdays.
Ages 4–8
Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 16–May 6, 2021
Explore works of art in our collection through interactive games and activities, designed for kids ages 4–8 and their caregivers. We now offer after-school sessions on both Tuesdays and Thursdays, as well as Thursday afternoons. Each session features a different activity, and while we build off themes from week to week, each class is a standalone experience. Join us for one session or stay all season! This semester, we turn our attention to the natural environment: on Tuesdays, we’ll dive deeply into all things water, and on Thursdays we’ll discover all that blossoms around us in spring. After class, stay for an additional ten-minute studio session to share and enjoy one another's company.
This online program is free, but space is limited, and registration is required. Registration covers one adult and one child; please register any additional children. Registration closes four hours before class begins each week.
Spring 2021 Schedule
Tuesdays: Just Add Water
March 16–May 4, 2021, 4–4:30 pm
Take a deep dive into one of earth’s greatest resources: water! We’ll explore all kinds of artworks that reference water and nature, from a Kwakwaka’wakw baleen whale mask to works by Georgia O’Keeffe and landscapes from around the world. Then, make water-based artworks using all kinds of materials like watercolors, salt, and more.
- March 16: Water, Water, Everywhere
Suggested materials: Mark-making tools and paper
In the first class, we’ll create our own drawings, talk about all of the uses of water, and see its importance through the eyes of ancient Egyptians. - March 23: Mix & Make
Suggested materials: Watercolors or food coloring, cups or bowls for mixing, thick paper (watercolor paper, cardboard, card stock, etc.), paintbrushes, water
See watercolors by Georgia O’Keeffe in our collection and use water to create your own multi-shade artwork in a single color. - April 6: Bridges to Brooklyn
Suggested materials: Large paper or cardboard and mark-making tools
What is it like looking at the city from different perspectives? Study artworks that feature the East River and Brooklyn Bridge, draw your own version of the city featuring your favorite place as a backdrop, and take a picture in front of it. - April 13: Under the Sea
Suggested materials: Clay, Play-Doh, or Model Magic; paper; mark-making tools; and items to create your own sculptural piece
Come under the sea with us and look at artworks that feature fish and underwater creatures. - April 20: Land and Sea
Suggested materials: Paper, string, mark-making tools, beads, and anything you’d like to add!
We’ll explore the story of the Baleen Whale and Thunderbird, and create our own wearable artwork that helps us tell important personal tales. - April 27: Waterfalls
Suggested materials: White oil pastel or tape, watercolor paints, paintbrush, and thick paper (watercolor paper, card stock, or cardboard)
Learn how to make resist art and discover the many representations of waterfalls in our collection. - May 4: Salt, Sand, Sun (and Water)
Suggested materials: Glue, salt, watercolor, paintbrushes, thick paper (watercolor paper, card stock, or cardboard). This one gets messy; mock or art clothes recommended!
Look forward to the summer and think about the beach as we make our own raised artworks.
Thursdays: Blossoming
March 18–May 6, 2021, 1–1:30 pm and 4–4:30 pm
Thursdays are all about spring as we think about all that blossoms around us, from our flowers to our friendships. Discover artworks that highlight flowers, blooms, and new beginnings from ancient Egypt, Henri Matisse, and contemporary artists and be prepared to gather natural materials for art-making this semester.
- March 18: Spring in My Step
Suggested materials: Mark-making tools and paper
Start the semester by thinking about what spring means to us and how it’s depicted in artworks in our collection, then create a self-portrait of your best self among nature in bloom. - March 25: Lotus Leaves
Suggested materials: Mark-making tools and paper, or Styrofoam, a sharp pencil, paper, and paint
Study the lotus leaf and learn about the significance of lotus flowers for ancient Egyptians, then make original drawings to create our own flower from our imagination. - April 8: Cherry Blossoms
Suggested materials: Natural materials (such as flowers, grass, and rocks), paper, mark-making tools; for flower rubbings, bring paper towels, a rock or hammer (grown-ups only!) and sturdy paper (watercolor paper or card stock)
Think about our favorite elements of spring and look at artworks from our Asian Art collection. Then, create a special invitation for a loved one to an outdoor excursion and use natural elements to decorate it, either through collage or flower rubbings. - April 15: Famous Flowers
Suggested materials: Paints, thick paper (watercolor paper, card stock, or cardboard), paintbrushes, bowls or cups
Dive deeply into Georgia O’Keeffe’s flower paintings, and create your own! - April 22: Floral Arrangements
Suggested materials: Tissue paper and pipe cleaners, or paper and mark-making tools
Get inspired by famous bouquets made by Henri Matisse and Laura Wheeler Waring, then make flowers from tissue paper and pipe cleaners, or draw your own bouquet! - April 29: Flowered Frocks and ‘Fits
Suggested materials: Paper and mark-making tools, or a T-shirt, markers, and fabric paint
No need to save it for the runway! Check out wearable art and fashion in our collection and plan a flowery outfit, or create your own wearable piece. - May 6: Hope Springs Eternal
Suggested materials: Mark-making tools, cardboard box, tape, natural materials, and anything else you’d like to use!
Hope is a powerful tool. We’ll close our semester by dreaming about the future and create our own three-dimensional sculpture to imagine the world we want to live in.
To learn more about our family programs, join our email list. Questions? Email us at youth.family@brooklynmuseum.org.
