The child is a competent person, who curiously keeps observing the world around it, acquiring thus actively further knowledge. Looking through the prism of benefits for the child, children have been offered various cultural... [ view full abstract ]
The child is a competent person, who curiously keeps observing the world around it, acquiring thus actively further knowledge. Looking through the prism of benefits for the child, children have been offered various cultural elements like: museums, classical music concerts. We did not want to show the children the works of art for the sake of copying them, but to encourage their esthetic perception in order to develop a positive attitude against art, stimulating them at the same time to search and find their own expression.
We are encouraging development of child's skills related to cultural awareness and expressions. The children feel the world in a different way from the adults. It is necessary to prepare children for visiting cultural institutions to provoke an extraordinary, uncommon feelings. Keeping in mind that children are not under the influence of various information and previously acquired knowledge, it is very important to think about what could draw their attention, provoke their interests, and lead them to the feeling of joy and desire to repeat the visit. What is a museum? What can you do there? We should try to find the answers together, before actually going there. Attending a classical music concert is a very valuable artistic feeling. Children feel the music performed live. Listening to that kind of music challenges the brain to reconstruct the original experience of live music, deepens the esthetic feeling, motivates the child to move, to play or to express his/her feelings by being artistically creative at the same time. It is important to nourish child's individual developmental abilities, appreciate their feelings, and to show pleasure of participating in such an activity. Afterwards, the child is expected to express his/her own feelings, understandings and thoughts in different ways.
Key words: cultural competencies/skills, museum, exhibition, classical music, cultural experience
