Take Your Kids to Tibet for the Afternoon

4/22/09 - By Anna Fader

I've decided to homeschool my kids by traveling around the world and letting them learn through exposure to different cultures and experiences. What could be a better education than that? Our first stop on this amazing voyage will be Tibet where we will explore the Himalayas, learn traditional art-forms, get to see first-hand the creation of a Tibetan mandala, learn TIbetan calligraphy, children's games and more. It will be a most enriching experience for my kids and for myself.

Of course, leaving New York is kind of a hassle, and the kids kind of like going to school, so we'll do this homeschooling in New york City and on the weekends. Thanks to The Rubin Museum of Art's Family Day this weekend, we can travel to Tibet to experience the art and culture without having to give up our takeout or DSL.

Rubin Museum of Art Family Day: Celebrate Tibet in New York

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Saturday, May 2, 2009, 11AM-6PM
150 West 17th Street
$10 per adult
rmanyc.org

12:00–1:00: Kids can take a virtual trip to the snowy peaks of Tibet on a storytelling tour that winds through the Rubin Museum's hypnotizing exhibitions.

2:00–3:00: Children can look for exotic objects and symbols during a scavenger hunt in the galleries.

3:00–4:00: Families are invited to take a Taste of RMA tour, highlighting some of the Rubin's most awe-inspiring paintings, sculptures, and textiles.

There will also be a number of ongoing activities, taking place all day from 11AM-6PM, where parents and kids can:

* use wooden stamps to print their own wishes on Tibetan prayer flags

* create tsa-tsas—clay and roasted barley sculptures left as offerings at sacred sites throughout the Himalayas—using intricate molds

* try their luck at Tag Go Shi, Sho, and other fun Tibetan games

* create colorful works of art out of clay, inspired by traditional Tibetan sculptures made out of yak butter (who would have thought!)

* watch artist Samten Dakpa demonstrate tangka painting, a traditional Tibetan art form featuring mesmerizing colors and geometric patterns

* help well-known mandala artist Losang Samten create an impermanent work of art using tiny grains of brightly colored sand

* learn how to write their names using Tibetan calligraphy

* watch Stephanie Odegard demonstrate carpet weaving, wool carding, and spinning techniques

* create a miniature protector amulet and attach it to string to carry with them

* join the Cholsum Dance Group and members of the New York and New Jersey Tibetan communities in a discovery of traditional Tibetan costumes, folk songs, dances, and music

* explore traditional Tibetan clothing, prayer wheels, and mani stones

* make prints of the lotus flower—an important symbol in Himalayan art—to take home with them

Continue your TIbetan experience: after the museum head to one of New York's many Tibetan restaurants for lunch or dinner.

Places featured in this article:


Rubin Museum of Art