Creating Viewfinders (out of anything)

Our children need tools to support their close looking.

Whether you've visited us during a pop-up program or more structured school visit, you've seen our plethora of museum-looking tools. In the participatory action research we've done with young children, we've found that children want tools to hold and use in their museum experiences. Tools can include clipboards and pencils, different colored lenses, and of course, viewfinders.

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Viewfinders can be made out of anything.

We love this photo of Georgia O'Keeffe, using a piece of swiss cheese as a viewfinder. Like Georgia, we can use bits and pieces of material in our homes to support our close looking and exploring.

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Building upon your last cARTie at home activity, we encourage you to try to create your own viewfinders (while wearing your cARTie Artist Hats, of course!).

This cARTie at home activity is a great scaffold upon your last (see blog posts: Make Your Own cARTie Artist Hat and Practice Looking at Art - Anywhere!). As you've been practicing looking at art with your child(ren), perhaps you've found that it would be helpful to have a tool guide some inquiry too.

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Up for the challenge? Try to find some objects with naturally-occurring holes at home.

Here are some examples of objects we have been gathering over the years.

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Try out your viewfinders!

How do different objects promote different ways of seeing? Does your child prefer one viewfinder to another? Why? Explore all the ways you can use your new viewfinders. Here are some key question starts to support discussion:

“Can you tell me more about what you see?”

“How can we focus on one part at a time?”

"Can you show me what you mean?"

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Don't forget to document!

As you experiment with your new viewfinders at home, try to stay curious and open to your child(ren)'s perceptions. With whatever scrap paper you have around, try to write down your child(ren)'s ideas and reflections.

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We can't wait to "see" through your new viewfinder eyes ;)

Maybe post a picture on social media.

Tag us @CTcARTie!