VISITING WITH KIDS

MAKING CONTEMPORARY ART FUN FOR ALL AGES

A trip to MOCA Jacksonville is fun for the whole family with programs and resources for visitors of all ages. You can use the resources on this page to make every trip exciting and engaging for the children in your group. 

TIPS FOR VISITING WITH KIDS

PUT FUN FIRST! Whether this is your family's first visit or your hundredth, focus on keeping the experience fun for everyone. If you need ideas for ways make your visit engaging, check out the Activity Ideas tab on this page.  

DO LESS! Keep the experience low pressure. Don’t feel like you have to make it to every space or read every label in one day. And don’t forget to take breaks. The first floor is a great place to stop for a snack break.

LET YOUR CHILD LEAD! Empower your child in the gallery spaces. Let them lead the way, pointing out pieces they like. If something catches their eye, they will be more engaged.

TAKE A BREAK! If they start to get tired or struggle to pay attention, take a break or grab a snack. And don’t forget, there are bathrooms on every floor.

PLAY A GAME! Make learning and exploring the galleries a game. Search for colors, objects, or shapes. Find all the works of art with animals in them. Play a few rounds of “I Spy.” Choose a work of art and use it to tell a story. 

GRAB AN ACTIVITY SHEET! MOCA’s team has put together activity sheets for kids to use during their visits. Grab a couple of activity sheets and some crayons from the front desk to fuel your child’s creativity during their visit.

TALK ABOUT IT! Talk about what you see and ask your kids what they see. Find out which pieces are their favorites and ask them why they like them. Does a work of art make them happy or sad? What do they think of when they look at different pieces?

USE “I NOTICE” LANGUAGE! This encourages kids make their own observations. It is also a way to experience the art that is free from judgement and accessible to everyone. You don’t have to understand the content or themes of the work to notice things about it.

MAKE A DAY OF IT! There are so many things to do near MOCA Jacksonville. You can visit the museum and go to our café, then check out some books at the library next door, take a walk through James Weldon Johnson Park and visit Sweet Pete’s Candy Shop, explore the stacks at Chamblin’s Bookmine, or head down to the river to watch for dolphins! Don’t forget, your admission is good for the whole day, so you can take a break to get outside and come back to finish your visit.

LEARN NEW WORDS! Teach your child art vocabulary by using it yourself when talking to them about what you see. Visit the glossary tab to the left to learn new words.