Activities For Children

April 1, 2014

Visiting with Children > During Your Visit


Walking the grounds without any agenda is certainly a fine way to explore Mount Auburn.  For those that want a little extra guidance, read through our suggestions below.

START AT THE GATEHOUSE

Our Egyptian Revival Gatehouse has welcomed Mount Auburn’s visitors for more than 180 years.  Maps and printed guides are available from this location whenever the gates are open to the public.  If you are interested in spotting wildlife, make sure to check the “bird board” for a listing of current birds and their locations within the Cemetery. An interactive kiosk, also located here, offers information about Mount Auburn’s history, its plants and trees, its wildlife, its art and architecture, and shares stories of some of the significant people now buried at the Cemetery.

PLAY “I SPY”

Mount Auburn is a great place for a great game of “I spy.” Pick something of interest and describe it in a way that your child will understand: “I see something that is green and pink” to describe a tree covered in pink blooms, or “I see a monument with a triangle shape” to describe a particular monument. Between plants and trees offering a rainbow of colors and buildings and monuments adorned with a myriad of shapes and symbols, there are plenty of things to “spy.”

PRACTICE LETTER RECOGNITION

There are thousands and thousands of monuments at Mount Auburn. Play a version of the alphabet game and try to find the letters of the alphabet on monuments as you explore the Cemetery. Though it is very tempting for children to trace the letters on monuments with their fingers, please rely on your sense of sight for this activity. Many of our monuments are more fragile than they might seem and so we do ask visitors to help us protect them by not touching.

PRACTICE COUNTING

Another fun activity for children is practicing their counting skills.  For younger children, it might be counting the number of petals on a flower, or the number of points on a leaf.  For slightly older children, an extra challenge would be counting the number of steps it takes to climb to the top of Washington Tower.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Appoint your child tour guide for the day. Pick up a map from the Egyptian Revival Gatehouse and then let him or her plot the path you take to find the Sphinx, the Tower, Auburn Lake, or any other location you want to find during your visit.

RECORD YOUR OBSERVATIONS

Mount Auburn is a place of inspiration for visitors of all ages, including children.  Bring sketchbooks and writing utensils and have your children draw and/or record what they see. Older children might try writing a poem or a short story inspired by their observations. Though there is no wrong place for this activity, any one of our ponds would make a great place to try journaling activities, as there are plenty of plants, animals, and insects to see. Plus, each of these locations has benches for sitting.

ENJOY A PRINTED GUIDE

The Friends of Mount Auburn has developed some family-friendly guides to help even the youngest visitors understand what makes Mount Auburn so special. Guides are available by download online but can also be picked up at the Cemetery from the Egyptian Revival Gatehouse.

Seasonal Bingo (ages 2-6)
No matter when you visit Mount Auburn, there is plenty to see, hear, and even smell. These activity guides (one for each season) invite you to use your senses while exploring our 175 acres.  More >>>

 

 

 

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