Rainy Day Projects

Natural History Museum Curator Setup

This activity challenges older children to become curators: they decide which 'specimens' belong in the museum, write exhibit labels that include real facts, arrange a physical gallery space, and then guide an adult visitor on a formal tour. At this age, children are capable of sustained independent work and respond well to being treated as the expert in the room. You end up with a physical exhibition that took genuine research and decision-making to produce.

Ages
8–10
Time
75 min
Adult help
Kids can run it
Mess
Low mess

Before you start

Before you mention the activity, gather a handful of starter resources on the table: a few sheets of cardstock or thick paper for labels, scissors, tape, any dinosaur books or printed reference sheets you have, and a selection of objects that can become 'specimens' — toy animals, drawings, printed images, or bones the child made from a previous activity. Designate a small display space: a cleared bookshelf, a windowsill, or a stretch of table. Tell the child they are the curator and will be giving you a tour in about forty-five minutes — then leave them to it. Most children at this age immediately begin sorting and arranging; the stall point is usually the labels, where they are not sure what facts to include. If asked, suggest three things: the dinosaur's period, what it ate, and one unusual feature. The tour itself is the payoff — be a genuine visitor: ask questions, read the labels aloud, and express real curiosity about their curation choices.

You will need

  • Cardstock or thick paperFor exhibit labels; index cards work well
  • Pencil and washable markersFor writing and illustrating labels
  • ScissorsChild-safe; for trimming labels and dividers

    Remind the child to cut away from the body and to set scissors down between cuts.

  • Tape or glue stickFor mounting labels beside exhibits
  • Objects to display as specimensToy animals, drawings, printed images, clay shapes
  • Cleared shelf, windowsill, or table sectionThe gallery space; about 3 feet of surface is enough
  • Dinosaur reference book or printed fact sheetoptionalLibrary book ideal; a printed page from memory also works
  • RuleroptionalFor making neat label borders
  • Permanent markeroptionalAdult labels title cards only if child chooses; store away otherwise

    Adult uses this only for the museum title sign if the child wants bold lettering; cap and put away immediately after.

Steps

  1. 1

    Brief the curator

    Tell the child: 'You are the head curator of this museum. You have about forty-five minutes to set up the gallery before your first visitor arrives. Every exhibit needs a label with at least three facts.' Name yourself as the visiting public and then step away.

    Tip: Set a real timer on the stove or a clock the child can see — it adds genuine urgency.

  2. 2

    Let the child work independently

    Stay out of the room or occupied nearby. Resist offering help unless directly asked. If asked for a fact, encourage the child to check the reference book first, then offer the fact if it is not there — do not look it up for them.

    Tip: If the child asks 'what should my museum be about,' prompt with: 'You could organize by time period, by what they ate, or by size — your choice.'

  3. 3

    Arrive as the visitor

    When the timer ends, approach the museum as a genuine visitor. Knock if it is in another room. Read each label before asking questions, so the child sees that the writing work had a real audience. Ask open questions: 'Why did you put these two together?' rather than 'Tell me about this one.'

    Tip: Pause at the label you found hardest to read — the child will usually rush over to explain it.

  4. 4

    Ask the curator for a recommendation

    Toward the end of the tour, ask: 'If I could only look at one exhibit, which would you say is the most important and why?' This invites the child to synthesize what they have built and argue for a choice — a satisfying close to the tour.

    Tip: Whatever they choose, follow up with 'That is a strong argument — you should write that in the catalog.'

  5. 5

    Suggest a museum catalog

    After the tour, offer the idea of a paper catalog: a folded sheet listing every exhibit with a one-line description. This is optional — if the child is energized, it extends the activity naturally. If they are done, let it close here.

Try it another way

  • If a second child is involved, one is curator and one is the visiting critic who writes a review of the exhibition on a notecard after the tour.
  • A child who is more drawn to art than writing can make the museum primarily visual — large illustrated panels with minimal text and a guided verbal tour only.
  • For a quieter, smaller version, the museum lives in a shoebox diorama rather than an open shelf, with tiny paper figures and labels written on strips.

What they get out of it

Children practice researching real facts, making decisions about how to organize information, and explaining their thinking clearly to another person.

Take it to the table

Materials checklist, the steps and the variations on one Letter page.

One page, black and white, built in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

Also in dinosaurs pretend play

The other two in this set, or see all dinosaurs pretend play.

More dinosaurs activities

Same theme, other formats — or see everything for dinosaurs.

More pretend play

Same format, other themes — or see all pretend play.

This site uses Google Analytics. See our Privacy Policy.