Parent to Parent: Day at the museum

And here at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, this mom is hoping to bring these kids' imaginations to life.

Shelli Altopp-Miller, mom
"What do you think they would be drinking at that time?"

Kids
"Wine."

By following a parental guide, you can make a trip to the museum as fun as a night at the movies.

Shelli Altopp-Miller, mom
"All of these pictures are on this wall here."

Start with a scavenger hunt. Use postcards to send kids on a search for the picture perfect painting.

Shelli Altopp-Miller, mom
"Here's a romantic one for you girls. See if you can find it."

And they say a picture says a thousand words.

Shelli Altopp-Miller, mom
"Who's the artist?"

Eva and Rebekah, kids
"Pierre Renoir."

Shelli Altopp-Miller, mom
"That's right."

So, find out what it's saying to your kids.

Mom
"What do you guys see?"

Owen and Trevor, kids
"Meadow and rocks."

To add a little history lesson, map out a family adventure. Choose a culture or time period and take a trip.

This family is off to Egypt and Japan.

Mom
"What is he doing with his fingers?"

Kids
"He's meditating."

For younger kids, experts say keep it visual. Have them color a picture of the art they see or play games, like "I Spy."

Beverly Breton Carroll, parenting expert
"You find some object that you can describe briefly, like it's red, and it's round. And in looking for this object, they're looking at everything and exploring."

No matter what their age, keep your kids curiosity alive long after their trip to the museum. Find out what peaked their interest and do some research.

Eva their alphabet was way different than ours.

Owen, young museum-goer
"I wanted to compare what I knew and what was new."

It may not exactly be a "Night at the Museum," but your kids can walk away with lifelong lessons.

Experts say it's important not to pack too much in on your trip to the museum and take plenty of breaks.

The Museum of Fine Arts has a lot of educational programs throughout the year.

Programs include open houses, school vacation week activities, concerts, studio workshops, lectures and films.

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