Maracas in hand, my toddler wanders freely through a gallery of priceless ceramics

"Now he's a toddler who can change direction like a squirrel and is rather taken with the word no. And I'm beginning to wonder: should we be sticking to exhibitions and events targeted at children? I'm not a joiner, and the thought of stay-and-plays and singalongs is enough to send me running. And yet, here I am, parking the buggy, unbuckling my son and walking with him, with some trepidation, towards a family-friendly drop-in at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge."

"Five stars, he cries! Or he would if he could, ogling a knight on a horse, gleaming in silver armour. I gently coax him into the next gallery Arts of the Near East where we find a few other parent-child duos and a couple of smiley staff members. I brace myself, anticipating instruction, but it quickly becomes clear that these events free to attend; no need to book are child-led and oh-so-loosely structured (to my relief, no organised fun)."

"There's a table with colouring pencils and paper. Big, squashy cushions and stripy rugs. Books and building blocks, musical instruments and gauzy fabrics, which the children are welcome to play with, or not. Glazed cabinets packed with ceramics a mother and baby at the Fitzwilliam. Photograph: Lewis Ronald When I think of kiddy-specific sessions in museums, I picture cordoned-off spaces far away from the art and the adults appreciating it."

"Not so at the Fitzwilliam. Surrounding us in the gallery are glazed cabinets packed with ceramics, pottery, glassware and metalwork. The space we're in opens on to another, and another, and another, each one lined with floor-to-ceiling displays. With a maraca in each hand, my son wanders freely between the rooms, delighting in the ceramic dogs, hor"

A parent reflects on changing childcare needs as a child grows from a calm baby in a sling to an active toddler who resists and explores. The parent questions whether museums should offer child-targeted exhibitions and events, fearing structured activities like singalongs and stay-and-plays. They attend a free, no-booking drop-in at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge with trepidation. The event is child-led and loosely structured, with no organized fun. Children can use coloring materials, cushions, rugs, books, building blocks, musical instruments, and fabrics. The activities occur within galleries filled with ceramics, pottery, glassware, and metalwork, allowing children to move freely among connected rooms and engage with artworks directly.

Read at www.theguardian.com