Family Conversations in Informal Learning Environments

This article begins with two examples that demonstrate adult interactions with young learners during conversations in informal learning environments. Family visits to informal learning environments provide opportunities to learn together, interact, engage in conversations, and learn more about one another. This article explores family learning in informal environments and suggests ways for parents to guide young learners in conversations to make sense of exhibit and program content. Parents can maximize learning and draw children into equitable learning conversations through the strategies recommended in this article. In this way, children and parents can engage in shared meaning-making and co-construct understanding of exhibit and program content.