Virtual Family Day: Just Kids

Every second Sunday of the month, Mia hosts a free monthly event for families, kids, and the young at heart featuring hands-on art activities, live music, dance performances, artist demonstrations, family tours and more — all inspired by Mia’s incredible collection.

Family Day Major Sponsor:

Thank you for joining us for our first-ever virtual Family Day! Inspired by the special photography exhibit “Just Kids” we are celebrating the creative visions and talents of kids with a mix of activities made by and for kids. Let’s have fun making mini folding screens, dancing, and listening to music together–virtually!

“Hello and welcome to Mia’s first virtual Family Day! We usually greet you in the studios and elsewhere in the museum to explain all the fun activities of the day, but today we send you our warmest virtual greeting and hope that you still have a great time making art and dancing while staying safe and healthy!”

Love,
Art Team

Art Team is a dynamic group of teen staff members who help create and host public events at Mia, including Rated T and Family Days.

Art Activities:

Make a Folding Screen

Inspired by One Hundred Children at Play

Unknown Korean Artists, late 19th century. One Hundred Children at Play. Ink and color on paper. Mary Griggs Burk Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation 2015.79.458.

Kids are the masterminds of play! You can see that that’s been the case for a long time looking at this Korean folding screen from over a hundred years ago where the artist has painted one hundred children playing. With just a piece of paper or cardboard, some drawing utensils, and lots of imagination, we can make our own folding screen inspired by this painting.

Watch the video to learn more about folding screens and click here to read instructions for the art-making.

Build Rainbow Power!

Kids around the world have been drawing rainbows to display on their windows and sidewalks to offer hope and gratitude during this challenging time for the world. Let’s join in the efforts to spread more positivity and build our collective Rainbow Power!

Draw a rainbow with a message of hope, thanks, and happiness to uplift your community. You can chalk the sidewalk, make a window sign, or simply take a picture of your sign to share online using #MiaFamilyDay and #MiaFromHome on social media.

Recreate Mia Art at Home

Unknown artist, Turkey. Elephant Attacking a Feline, late 4th-mid 5th century. Mosaic. The John R. Van Derlip Fund 69.49.2

Pick an artwork from the museum’s collection by browsing our online catalog and recreate it using objects you find around you! Share a photo of your recreation by tagging @artsmia and #MiaFromHome on social media.

Interactive Activities:

Music: The Blue Apple by Sammy

Listen to The Blue Apple, a new album by the young and talented 12-year-old Sammy Austin. The album features silly and serious songs written by Sammy and performed with Brian Laidlaw of Unrestricted Interest, an organization providing creative writing mentorship for kids on the Autism Spectrum.

Click here to listen to the rest of Sammy’s music.

Virtual Tour: “Just Kids”

Esther Glaser Parada, Two Children Playing and Cat, Sucre, Bolivia, 1964–1966, Gelatin silver print, Gift of the family of Esther Parada: Adam Wilson, son; Margo Davion and Susan Peters, sisters; and Benjamin Glaser, brother 2006.54.11

“Just Kids” is an exhibition of photographs of and by children, teens, and young adults, organized in partnership with middle and high school students. Experience a virtual tour seeing photographs from the exhibit while listening to the teen co-curators’ reflections on the photographs in the exhibit.

Dance Workshop: Things that Grow and Go, Dance! by Leila Awadallah

The world is dancing around us – seeds, rivers, birds, and leaves in the wind! Join dancer Leila Awadallah to explore the movements of things that Grow and Go, and learn a special dance to celebrate biodiversity!

Dance Workshop: Breakdance for Kids with Cypher Side

Learn the basic steps of breakdancing from Lue Thao from Cypher Side, a dance studio based in St. Paul specializing in Hip Hop and Break Dancing for all ages. See the videos below for a performance by Cypher Side toddlers, and the Family Day workshop, which includes stretches, fun warmups, footwork moves, ground moves, and a routine. Moves are easy to follow and can be accomplished by all age ranges!