The day kicked off with a rousing program of live music performed by the Addison Noon Chorus. The event titled Family Arts Day focused on the new exhibit at the Cantor Arts Center, titled “American ABC: Childhood in 19th-Century America.” Singing songs such as “Sweet Chariot” and “Home on the Range,” the kids’ choir appropriately commenced a day focused on children.
Families with toddlers as well as much older kids crowded the museum for nearly four hours on April 2. The Cantor Arts Center opened its doors to hundreds of children to enjoy themselves with activities, arts and crafts, storytelling and live music.
Most kids crowded around a number of arts and crafts stations that were spread around inside the museum. The activities were representative of those that may have engaged children two centuries ago.
Next to a recreation of an old loom, kids wove strips of paper into baskets and other such items. At another station, basic stitching was being offered while at another children put together small notebooks to practice handwriting in. A nearby table had children drawing quilt patterns on squares of paper, which the kids pieced together into a larger quilt.
Children even made their own old-fashioned toys, called thaumatropes, which spun a piece of paper in between rubber bands, creating an optical illusion. Many of the younger kids seemed as fascinated by this as they would be by a television program or Lego set.
“It’s a great opportunity for the kids,” said Betsy Gamburd, a museum volunteer. “It also helps attract their parents and gets [the museum] more public interest.”
Wandering attractions also delighted the young audience. Volunteers in period dress from the nineteenth century wandered around the museum throughout the day. One couple in quaint costumes carried instruments and played folk tunes as children admired their garb.
Several times throughout the afternoon, the children also gathered around a storyteller to hear her sing and spin tales. Dressed as Mother Goose from the popular fable, the storyteller adeptly engaged her audience with stories incorporating many classic children’s characters including Peter Rabbit, Little Bo Peep and Mary (who had a little lamb). The storyteller, using voices and props as well, was able to make the kids laugh and sing along with her.
At the end of the afternoon the kids eventually trickled out, some asleep in their parents arms. And, the donation box in the center of the main lobby was stuffed full.