This is an art program for the children living at foster homes. We provide weekend field trips to museums for children including those with handicaps. This year, 55 children from 4 foster homes joined the program, which means that a total of 100 people including knock-knock art communicators visited the 4 museums and spent valuable time indulged in art.
We provide programs that are tailor-made for each foster home after discussing with the staff, the needs of each foster home through questionnaires and interviews.
Before the day of the trip, we send personal invitation cards to the children to share which art pieces to see, On the day of the trip, we start the program at the railroad station near-by the museum. A child and a ‘knock-knock volunteer’ form a pair so that the child can feel at home.
At the Museum, children appreciate the art pieces with a variety of viewpoints; by him/herself, by pairs, and in groups.
After lunch break, children work on their ‘art-files.’ From their memory, they draw pictures and write impressions of the arts pieces that they have seen.
The day ends after a relaxed art-walk, such as enjoying outdoor sculptures.
After the trip, we send them thank you cards with photos of the trip and booklets to share memories of the museum field trip.
Later, children send us sincerely thank you letters with, in many cases, a wish-list of museums that they would like to visit on the next trip.