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Step 1
Use simple psychology. Act as though the museum is a privilege. Whether or not you like museums, you want the child to believe that the museum is a place of privilege. Don’t present it as something they have to do or they’ll be prejudiced against it from the beginning.
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Step 2
Establish expectations from the beginning. Make sure the children know what type of behavior is expected from them. Also, let them know the rewards that will arise from behaving well-namely being able to enjoy the museum. Also, tell the children how long you’ll be at the museum before you go. This will help to control whining or tantrums that arrive from either staying at or leaving the museum.
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Step 3
Don’t be above a bribe. Let the children know that you’ll reward them in some way if they behave well. However, be sure to set limits on what you will or will not give.
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Step 4
Do what the children want to at the museum. Ultimately, this trip is about them. If they like the museum, they’ll be much more likely to want to return and will get much more out of the experience.
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Step 5
Enjoy yourself. If the kids see you having fun, they’ll be much more likely to enjoy themselves. If, however, they see you having a terrible time, they’ll probably think that they should be having a terrible time as well. Children look up to you. Even if you hate museums, give them the opportunity to like them by at least acting like you’re having a good time.
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Step 6
Share your knowledge. Take the children to a museum dedicated to something you know. This gives you a chance to share things you know with the children.
