Kids! How do they work?
October 28, 2013 4:33 PM Subscribe
Help! My new job involves making sure that little kids are entertained.
I work for a small art gallery and cafe which has lots of kids activities laid on. Stuff like painting, drawing, and activity sheets (and even play-doh for really little kids) are all laid on, and I know where they are. The parents are there as well, and they supervise any playing activities.
My problem is that I don't really know anything about kids playing, or about kids in general! So far, it's been going ok, but I could really do with some tips for interacting and dealing with children in general. Help me be the best gallery assistant I can be? Thanks metafilter!
I work for a small art gallery and cafe which has lots of kids activities laid on. Stuff like painting, drawing, and activity sheets (and even play-doh for really little kids) are all laid on, and I know where they are. The parents are there as well, and they supervise any playing activities.
My problem is that I don't really know anything about kids playing, or about kids in general! So far, it's been going ok, but I could really do with some tips for interacting and dealing with children in general. Help me be the best gallery assistant I can be? Thanks metafilter!
I highly recommend reading Teacher Tom's blog. He deals with preschool kids and talks a lot about the process of providing tools and ideas and then just trying to let go and let them do whatever it is they're going to do without worrying too much about the end product.
posted by stefanie at 5:32 PM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by stefanie at 5:32 PM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
I spent a good chunk of this past weekend converting a log into lumber at a reproduction of Lewis and Clark's 1803 winter camp. Friday was the running of the 12-14 year olds (like that thing in Pamplona only with fewer cows and more noise). These were a crew of public school kids so they were not cherry picked to be particularly interested in what I was up to in any way.
What I found:
1) DarlingBri's #1. I explained what I was up to using pretty much the same words I would have with an adult I wasn't trying to teach hand tool woodworking to and they responded just fine.
2) Putting something in their hands quickly (or giving them a pretty good idea when it would be their turn) is pretty important. For me this meant speaking my blurb about a day and age when there were no power tools, then sitting them down on a log and handing them a scrub plane. For you this probably means getting them started on step one and then talking about step 2 after a bit.
3) Not every kid is going to be interested in what you've got. Have some sort of damage control plan but don't take it as a personal defeat.
4) Kids know you mean business once you've brandished a broad ax. That's probably not going to work as well for you, but you never know until you try.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 5:34 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
What I found:
1) DarlingBri's #1. I explained what I was up to using pretty much the same words I would have with an adult I wasn't trying to teach hand tool woodworking to and they responded just fine.
2) Putting something in their hands quickly (or giving them a pretty good idea when it would be their turn) is pretty important. For me this meant speaking my blurb about a day and age when there were no power tools, then sitting them down on a log and handing them a scrub plane. For you this probably means getting them started on step one and then talking about step 2 after a bit.
3) Not every kid is going to be interested in what you've got. Have some sort of damage control plan but don't take it as a personal defeat.
4) Kids know you mean business once you've brandished a broad ax. That's probably not going to work as well for you, but you never know until you try.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 5:34 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
I once went from really not having spoken to any little kids since my own childhood to suddenly teaching elementary school for a year. In fact, the first time I'd encountered a group of kids in well over a decade was when I taught a summer school group a demo class on board games essentially as part of the job interview with the school principal watching me the whole time.
What worked--indeed, what probably got me the job--was just not worrying about a little chaos or inattention or whatever going on at the periphery of the group. I explained some games to the kids who were interested pretty much the same way I'd explain those games to anyone. Those kids learned and had fun, and the rest did their own thing.
Then, what got me through the year was maintaining an air of unflappability, cheerfulness, sympathy, and calm. It helps that my typical reaction to stress is to smile and come up with something neutral or even positive to say. Oh, and trying to befriend the parents was a big deal too, because they were my best allies in working with students with problems, and what made them extremely happy with me was them fairly often getting to see me listen to their kids and say thoughtful, kind, and encouraging but in no way condescending things to them. A lot.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 5:36 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
What worked--indeed, what probably got me the job--was just not worrying about a little chaos or inattention or whatever going on at the periphery of the group. I explained some games to the kids who were interested pretty much the same way I'd explain those games to anyone. Those kids learned and had fun, and the rest did their own thing.
Then, what got me through the year was maintaining an air of unflappability, cheerfulness, sympathy, and calm. It helps that my typical reaction to stress is to smile and come up with something neutral or even positive to say. Oh, and trying to befriend the parents was a big deal too, because they were my best allies in working with students with problems, and what made them extremely happy with me was them fairly often getting to see me listen to their kids and say thoughtful, kind, and encouraging but in no way condescending things to them. A lot.
posted by Monsieur Caution at 5:36 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
For small kids, get down to their level when interacting with them- physically at their level. That might mean sitting in the floor or squatting or crouching. And yes, talk to them in a normal tone of voice. For kids under 6 be prepared for nothing to last more than 15 mins tops. They have absolutely no ability to focus longer than that.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 7:13 PM on October 28, 2013
posted by otherwordlyglow at 7:13 PM on October 28, 2013
Ask them questions, and respect their answers.
If they're looking for something to do, ask them what they want to do, and try to help them do that.
If they're working on something, ask them about their project.
Try to stay as eye-level as possible when you're talking to them -- crouch or sit or bend down as appropriate.
Treat them as if they were responsible, even if they're not acting that way. "OK, time to clean up! Let's put all the stuff away!" or "Hey, we need to make sure to keep the paint on the table so everyone can use it!" or "Oops, no painting on the walls! We need to follow the rules here and only use paper for drawing."
Like others have said, just treat them like small humans. If you don't understand, ask them for clarification. If they don't understand, try to rephrase. (And I had all this same anxiety about interacting with kids for a long time until I just applied my normal social skills to kids. They have different needs than independent adults, of course, but there's no reason to treat them totally differently.)
posted by jaguar at 7:59 PM on October 28, 2013
If they're looking for something to do, ask them what they want to do, and try to help them do that.
If they're working on something, ask them about their project.
Try to stay as eye-level as possible when you're talking to them -- crouch or sit or bend down as appropriate.
Treat them as if they were responsible, even if they're not acting that way. "OK, time to clean up! Let's put all the stuff away!" or "Hey, we need to make sure to keep the paint on the table so everyone can use it!" or "Oops, no painting on the walls! We need to follow the rules here and only use paper for drawing."
Like others have said, just treat them like small humans. If you don't understand, ask them for clarification. If they don't understand, try to rephrase. (And I had all this same anxiety about interacting with kids for a long time until I just applied my normal social skills to kids. They have different needs than independent adults, of course, but there's no reason to treat them totally differently.)
posted by jaguar at 7:59 PM on October 28, 2013
And to avoid the righteous outrage which only a four-year-old can muster: if you cannot figure out what they drew/sculpted, do not ask them "What is that?" Instead, use some version of, "That's pretty neat. Tell me about it."
posted by tllaya at 8:44 PM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by tllaya at 8:44 PM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Definitely get down on eye level, that's a great tip.
Honestly the best way to talk to kids is to just talk to them. I know it sounds like non-advice, but really, just open the conversation. They're a lot like adults, except it's way more socially acceptable to start a random conversation with.
tllaya is right - "tell me about it" is a good way to ask about their artwork!
If you need help getting them engaged more once they start, say, drawing, you can encourage them to keep filling white space on the paper. At the end you can encourage them to write a caption, or you can write it for them.
Another piece of advice that sounds really not helpful but it's good to keep in mind - know that there are going to be messes and weird things happening, and just don't freak out. If there is a spill or something, you just say "oh well, we'd better clean that up!" and move on. I used to babysit a lot and although I am pretty uptight about a lot of things, I learned to just go with the flow.
I used to run an art class for kids at a homeless shelter, and that really taught me to go with the flow. Sometimes we would have a really cool craft planned out, but for whatever reason the kids weren't into it, so we'd just get out the coloring pages. No biggie.
posted by radioamy at 9:19 PM on October 28, 2013
Honestly the best way to talk to kids is to just talk to them. I know it sounds like non-advice, but really, just open the conversation. They're a lot like adults, except it's way more socially acceptable to start a random conversation with.
tllaya is right - "tell me about it" is a good way to ask about their artwork!
If you need help getting them engaged more once they start, say, drawing, you can encourage them to keep filling white space on the paper. At the end you can encourage them to write a caption, or you can write it for them.
Another piece of advice that sounds really not helpful but it's good to keep in mind - know that there are going to be messes and weird things happening, and just don't freak out. If there is a spill or something, you just say "oh well, we'd better clean that up!" and move on. I used to babysit a lot and although I am pretty uptight about a lot of things, I learned to just go with the flow.
I used to run an art class for kids at a homeless shelter, and that really taught me to go with the flow. Sometimes we would have a really cool craft planned out, but for whatever reason the kids weren't into it, so we'd just get out the coloring pages. No biggie.
posted by radioamy at 9:19 PM on October 28, 2013
Art gallery. Great. Start picking artists and think of two minute lessons that would allow a kid to reproduce or copy the style of that artist.
Matisse is a good example.
You could also look at Mondrian, Calder, Van Gogh, and so on. Pick a work, figure out how a kid could do it and make that available.
There was also a great technique made by James Higa called Krimpart which is very hands-on friendly.
Gives lots of atta boys, simple redirections, obvioud choices. Don't forget to ask questions about what they're doing and take an honest interest. Sometimes you'll get surprising answers.
posted by plinth at 6:16 AM on October 29, 2013
Matisse is a good example.
You could also look at Mondrian, Calder, Van Gogh, and so on. Pick a work, figure out how a kid could do it and make that available.
There was also a great technique made by James Higa called Krimpart which is very hands-on friendly.
Gives lots of atta boys, simple redirections, obvioud choices. Don't forget to ask questions about what they're doing and take an honest interest. Sometimes you'll get surprising answers.
posted by plinth at 6:16 AM on October 29, 2013
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1. Speak to them as if they are just very short adults. (The fake voice is stupid and patronizing.)
2. Redirect with fake choices: "tragically, no, we will not be painting on the walls today. Would you like to paint on paper OR draw with crayons?'
This works up until about age 7 or 8. What age group are we talking?
posted by DarlingBri at 5:07 PM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]