Imagination Gap

Forget the generation gap. It's the imagination gap that's the real difference between children and adults.

This isn't a new thing. It's always been so; as we grow up, we all start to see things as they really are instead of what they might be. There's a good amount of logic to this, really; adults have a need to understand the true nature of things. It's why we have 'science' after all. But children, especially young children, haven't yet quite reached the 'age of not believing' as they say in Bedknobs and Broomsticks. And understanding that, and how we can use that to our advantage, is important in planning activities for kids in our museums, especially if you're working with a small budget.

Take a piece of paper and roll it into a cone shape. Chop off the two ends so you have a symmetrical cone shape. You might still see a paper cone, but to a child, that's a wizard's hat, or a magical horn of protection, or a princess hat, or a telescope... or a good deal more, I'm sure. I've seen children spend an hour decorating a paper tube to be a hat or a horn. They only do that because they really believe in it. Obviously, the child understands that it's really just a piece of rolled up paper, but they can believe that it's something else entirely, and that's really where the magic has happened.

That's not to say that children aren't discerning and will put up with any old tat, of course. Children will always be some of your harshest critics, in large part because just as they might not have learnt to be cynical, they haven't learnt to be tactful either. If a five year old thinks your event is boring, they'll say so. If a ten year old thinks your activity is lame, you can be sure that they'll let you know in no uncertain terms.

So it's a fine balancing act, between genius re-invention of materials and quite literally a pile of rubbish. If you're looking for inspiration, try browsing through the Blue Peter and Art Attack websites; they've got loads of good ideas. Don't be afraid to adapt what they've got to something that suits your materials, or time frame.

Most of all, don't be afraid to let the children be creative. Remember that cardboard box you had a child that you used to pretend was a rocket, or a pirate ship, or a house? The simpler the starting materials, often the more that children can get out of them. It might be that you planned to make coracles and you end up making hats, but that's fine. Embrace their imagination, whilst they've still got it.