Main description:

Viewing Art with Babies demonstrates how to facilitate quality art viewing experiences with babies from as young as two months old. Such experiences can help to nurture early literacy and receptive language skills, sensory stimulation, and early brain development.

Based on the author's research with babies in New Zealand, Australia, Romania, England, and the U.S., the book provides the reader with information about early brain, vision, sensory and language development, as well as the aesthetic preferences of babies. Danko-McGhee provides details about the type of art that babies like, how to display art in the learning environment, and how to interact with a baby when viewing art. Case studies of international museums, national museums and community agencies that have had success with engaging babies in art viewing experiences will be included in the book as a way to demonstrate how theory and research can be successfully put into practice.

Viewing Art with Babies details practical ways that museum practitioners, early childhood and community educators and parents can provide art-viewing experiences in the museum, early childhood classroom or even their own home. It will be of interest to practitioners and parents around the world, as well as those engaged in the study of museum education.

Contents:

Introduction: Babies and Art; Chapter 1 Early Brain and Sensory Development; Chapter 2 Visual Literacy, Aesthetic Responses, and The Aesthetic Preferences of Babies; Chapter 3 Looking at Art with Babies & Building Early Receptive Language; Chapter 4 Setting Up an Environment for Babies to View Art; Chapter 5 Successful Community Art Programs for Babies; Chapter 6 Successful Baby Tours at Art Museums; Chapter 7 Conclusion: Future Discoveries - Babies and Art.