Young at Art

Anthony Gormley, Blind Light - perfect for kids to explore

Art and culture with kids may seem like a nightmare of struggling through hallowed galleries with a laden down buggy, messy fingerprints on paintings and tantrums during a hushed performance. But, with an open-mind you can fulfill your culture craving and give the children a fun day out into the bargain. Selina Mehta reports.

I was starved of culture, I freely admit. 
Since I had kids the closest I got to a gig was a toddler music class and I’d swapped art house movies for Shrek and Toy Story. 
But no more. 
With a slight change of attitude it really is easy to get your culture fix with young kids in tow.  What’s more, galleries and museums are falling over themselves to get families in.

It doesn’t have to be designed for kids. 

I recently took my 3 year old to Blind Light - the Anthony Gormley exhibition at the Hayward Gallery.
An almost buggy-friendly ride from Waterloo, convenient baby changing and loos and buggies are allowed in. 
It proved to be magical for the children. 
They played hide-and-seek in Allotment II - rows and blocks with peep holes, derived from the vital statistics of people, so some were perfect kid height and shape. 
Event Horizon, where classic Gormley figures are dotted around the London cityscape became a great spot-the-man game. 
My toddler even ventured into the centrepiece, Blind Light - the disorientating cube of steam which left us feeling ‘lost on the moors’. 
You’re advised to hold onto children to avoid losing them to the fog.  We gripped each other for dear life but it was an experience we’ll share and remember.


The BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery worked well enough. 
Easy access from Charing Cross, a quick picnic in Trafalgar Square and lifts. 
Lauren Child, the creator of the Charlie and Lola books, has designed labels for some portraits posing questions about the art. 
My boys weren’t fussed about the actual portraits (the philistines!), but I got my fill whilst they enjoyed touch screen games provided. 


The Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy felt more sophisticated. 
We had a civilised coffee in the enclosed courtyard, whilst the kids ran around Jake and Dinos Chapman’s giant dinosaurs. 
Inside, we did the toileting and changing with ease and took the lift to the upstairs gallery. 
I could only concentrate on a few pieces of art out of the thousand of so. 
But its quality that counts. 
Because my kids never give me time to read the guide, I have to genuinely rely on my gut instincts about the work.  This is actually challenging and being led to the art that the children liked proved really liberating. 
My little boy kept returning to Tatsuo Miyajima’s Time In Water – digital numbers flashing in a shallow pool. 
We sat for a long time contemplating this in our own ways and it was a rare peaceful moment. 
Would I have lingered without him?


You can make life easier by going to a venue whose raison d’etre is to provide cultural experiences for children. 
The Polka Theatre in Wimbledon has a playground, organic café and baby facilities. 
You could hang out there all day. 
A weekend of literary events included talks with top notch children’s authors, workshops, storytelling and craft workshops. 
Sadly, we chose badly - the Usbourne Pirate Party - which was frankly, rather lame. 


But if I had to choose, I’d say take them to the thing you want to see yourself and enthuse them with what you like.  That way, you all get something out of it.


Anthony Gormley, Blind Light, The Hayward Gallery, South Bank Centre, London, SE1 8XZ,

National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London, WC2H OHE,

Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J OBD,

Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, SW19 1SB

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