Introduce your child to the diversity of the art world. Visit the site dedicated to a museum in your area. Discover what paintings are displayed and print copies of the paintings in the museum prior to your visit. You may also let your child peruse the postcards in the museum gift shop prior to visiting the galleries. Let your child pick four or five postcards. After you purchase them, guide your child through the museum to the room or painting. Have your child match the postcard or picture to the painting. This will begin a dialogue between you and your child about the painting and artistic expression. Once all of the paintings have been found, your child will have a souvenir, and you can reward yourselves with a treat.
Have your child discover the signs of the seasons. Plan an outing in your neighborhood or backyard. Instruct your child to find four or five items that reflect the season. If you live in a climate where seasons are pronounced, take your child out to a park or field during the fall and collect leaves. If you live in a more tropical climate, the flora or fauna rarely changes. In this case, take pictures of the signs of the season you discover. When you return home, design a book with the items. These items can be the basis for an alphabet book or a journal. This activity will encourage your child to observe, design, write and create while reinforcing new information.
Teach your child how to read a map and learn about the animal kingdom. Visit a local zoo and equip your child with a map of the zoo. Before you arrive, download a copy of the map. Familiarize yourself with the layout of the grounds. With your child, plan the path you will take. Once you are there, ask your child to lead the way. Collect photographs of the animals and use these to put together a scrapbook of your visit. You might make up rhymes about the animals and their description. Engage your child in language games to recall your visit.
Use classical music to enhance creative expression. Use a musical selection and ask your child to draw a picture that tells the story of the music or initiate a story and then have your child finish the story through body movement and dance. You could also use Internet sites to play the different sounds of instruments. Design a bingo game based on matching the sound with the name of the instrument. Seek out museums that offer music programs for children, such as the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona.