Objects, like blankets, are important in telling the stories of our lives.
The blankets in this piece were given with the heirloom-like intent of passing on stories, remembrances, and teachings
— Marie Watt
How can you encourage young children to share their stories related to an object or idea?
- Have children choose a special object from home or at school based on a theme like family, celebration or community. Give them time to share a story about the object.
- Have children choose a special object from home or at school, describe the object using color, texture, size, etc., and then share its story.
How can their stories about objects be recorded for the intent of passing them on?
- Children can record their own thoughts and stories about their objects by drawing a picture or sharing it with a small group.
- Adults can document children’s stories by writing on a tag to attach to the object or by using audio/visual equipment.
TIP: For further inspiration, check out A History of the World in 100 Objects, a radio series and book from the British Museum.
Rococo Armchair Legs
Related Creative Activities
Home and Identity
The Magic of Discovery
Storytelling Through Art
A Portrait of One’s Own
After spending time exploring aspects of the Ancestor Portrait and the importance of ancestor portraits in the Chinese tradition, students will create an ancestor portrait using mixed media materials and present it to the class.
Combining Human and Animal Forms
Students will use visual observation skills to carefully examine the Assyrian Bird-Headed Deity limestone relief and explore the movement, sounds, and traits of different animals. They will first explore these aspects in humans and birds of prey, as seen in the limestone relief, and will then do the same with “animals” they create from two or more animals. This lesson enables children to draw upon previous knowledge and imagination in order to act out the movement, sounds, and other traits of the animals they create.
If You Give a Man a Horse
Students will read the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff, explore Charles Deas’ painting Long Jakes, and exercise their imaginations to create their own cause-and-effect story.