Did you know that the Dayton Art Institute is free to the public and welcomes young children? Families looking for a fun way to spend a cold Saturday will want to sign their children up for the Museum Kids Club. After you go, take a look at Can You Find It Inside? It is full of fine art to examine with prompts that make the art more accessible to young children.

Here's some good advice from Reading Is Fundamental about how to build background knowledge:

"Any time children go some place, especially some place new to them, they can learn something. Even if it is just a walk around the block, children can learn something new if you talk with them. Point out things they might not notice. Explain events that are taking place. Answer the questions children have and praise them for looking and learning. Before you go to a place the children have never been, such as a zoo or a museum, discuss what they will be seeing and learning. After the trip, have the children talk about their experiences."