The sound of little feet at the British Museum

Abstract

• The British Museum is an iconic space housing objects from across time and around the world. As part of the public programme the Schools and Young Audiences Team run under 5s provision using different spaces and objects as inspiration for activities which encourage participation, exploration and enjoyment. In this chapter we discuss how this programme, known as Little Feet, developed and the type of activities offered to our young learners aged 6 weeks to 4 years old. We consider the opportunities and challenges of running a programme for under 5s in a large public building, dating from the Victorian era to the present day, full of diverse spaces (including over 50 galleries, a central atrium space and a modern learning centre) and filled with objects chosen to represent a myriad of historical and contemporary cultures.