Journaling in Museums: Young Children at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Lentz, Molly
:
2018
Abstract
This paper articulates the need for hands-on experiential learning for young children in
traditional museum settings. Consideration of developmental stages and milestones is important
when designing guided learning tools. The theory of constructivism provides a framework for the
creation of a museum journal targeting 5 and 6-year-old visitors to the Country Music Hall of
Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. Constructivism places learners as active participants
in the construction of their own knowledge as they interact with their surroundings. The benefits
of journaling with young children are explored, and a compilation of activities to be included in a
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum journal are presented.