Wee MAC nurtures young museum-goers

A new program at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture aims to introduce 4- and 5-year-olds to the museum.

Wee MAC started this week and continues Tuesdays through the end of the school year.

“We felt like there’s a great opportunity for us to connect with young children and their families,” said Katie Staib, visitor experience specialist at the MAC.

Each week, the program will be centered on a different theme – this week it was birds – with crafts, games, art viewing and story time, as well as a nature walk on the MAC’s 5-acre campus.

“We’re wanting to nurture their curiosity and encourage them to engage with works of art and history and culture,” Staib said.

Amanda Driggs brought her 4-year-old son, Timmy Kerns, to the class.

During the nature walk, they only saw a few small birds, Driggs said, but they did find lots of bird poop and nests. So they learned about what birds eat and how they build their homes.

When they looked at pieces of art, Timmy was asked to describe what he saw. In one picture of a little girl holding a bird, he saw his sister, Driggs said.

“It was just really cool seeing what he saw,” because children see thing differently than adults, she said.

Driggs also liked “watching him flapping around like a bird” during the game and the craft – Timmy put four googly eyes on one of his paper-and-feather birds.

“He was smiling a lot,” she said.

“It was just a really cool little time for us to share together.”

Kimberly Lusk

When: 9:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays through June 9

Where: MAC, 2316 W. First Ave.

Cost: $5 for one child and adult; register for a session at northwestmuseum.org under the events calendar.

Info: (509) 456-3931