Kids in Louvre

An educational approach for active parents.

        One of the most commemorable places which I would like to visit  again is Paris. The city of lights fascinates me and travels me in other, more romantic eras. Magic times when art dominated the banks of the Seine and the sound of  the accordion seemed to follow you everywhere as a melodic and nostalgic background soundtrack. Don't be quick to judge me as over romantic, since it's something you'll notice, fellow traveler, the moment you reach there. Is it the melancholy of the Parisian sky, is it the scenery or the people?    One thing is for certain, without you knowing and without realizing, your footsteps will take you to the cradle of art and civilization  around the world, the museum of  Louvre.

          In Louvre there are exhibits from the eastern and Egyptian civilization. There is the Greek, the Etruscan and Roman department (one of the exhibits in Greek department is the Venus of Milos, to see activities about this statue click here), the Islamic art, sculptures, decorative art and paintings.

          From all of these exhibits I chose maybe the most famous of them all. Leonardo Da Vinci's illustrious painting, the  Mona Lisa. 

                Her controversial expression may give you the opportunity for a unique discussion with your child. Here are some questions you can ask  your toddler:

®   What' s the name of the painting?

®   What was da Vinci' s inspiration?

®   What are the colors of the painting?

®   What do you think of  her expression?

®   What may  Mona Lisa' s feelings be?

®   What are your feeling when you see the painting ?

          Then you can make your own story in which the heroine is Mona Lisa and through this you can explain her expression and her body language. A brilliant music album which was inspired by Mona Lisa and you can listen to it so as to dramatize your fantastic story is the Giaconda's smile of Manos Hadjidakis which you can find in YouTube. After your dramatization you can continue to listen these music tracks while the kid may draw the sketch of Mona Lisa (I found it in the free art history coloring pages).

              Finally you may know this ingenious man of Renaissance Leonardo da Vinci by reading the book: "Who was Leonardo da Vinci?" which consists of his illustrated bibliography for kids.