The Three Younger Children of Charles I

My name is Isabella, and I will be your guide today through one of our most impressive paintings! It's called "The Three Younger Children of Charles I." Isn't that a long name? It was painted a long, long time ago, in 1647, by a very talented artist named Peter Lely. Look how big it is! It's almost as tall as [mention something familiar to the children, like a doorway or a teacher]. nn

(Pause for children to observe the painting) nn Now, let's take a closer look. See these three children? They are the youngest children of King Charles I. Can you see the boy? He's wearing a very fancy dark outfit. What do you think it's made of? (Encourage answers). Yes, it looks like velvet! And look at all the sparkly gold on it! And his sisters? They are wearing pretty dresses too. One is wearing a dark dress, and the other has a beautiful white dress. What do you think they are made of? (Encourage answers). Maybe silk or satin! nn

(Pause for children to observe the details) nn See this little flower they are sharing? What do you think that means? (Encourage answers). It shows they love each other and are good friends! And look! There's a little black dog near them. He looks friendly, doesn't he? The background is pretty too. It looks like a nice garden. What do you see in the background? (Encourage answers). It's a very peaceful place, isn't it? nn

(Pause for children to observe the background) nn This painting is very special. It shows us how families were in the past. It shows us how important family was to them. It also shows how good the artist was at painting clothes and people. He made the clothes look so real, you almost want to touch them! Do you think it's easy to paint like this? (Encourage answers). It takes a lot of skill and practice! nn

(Pause for children to reflect) nn So, what did you like best about this painting? (Encourage answers). I hope you enjoyed learning about this amazing painting as much as I enjoyed showing it to you! Remember, art can tell us stories about the past and help us understand people from long ago. Now, let's go see some more amazing art!