A playful approach to the concept of air using archaeological exhibits within the framework of Natural sciences

In the present study, the author aimed to develop a museum education program that not only fosters students’ aesthetic cultivation but also connects the exhibits of non-scientific museums with key concepts from the natural sciences, thereby emphasizing their educational potential.

Through the analysis of museum exhibits, the program seeks to highlight explicit and implicit correlations with themes from the natural sciences curriculum addressed to preschool and early primary education. In this context, recent international studies, as well as findings from the authors’ previous research, are presented—focusing on both the identification of such connections and their application in the design of appropriate educational interventions.

More specifically, the museum education program developed centers on the concept of air and is implemented at the Archaeological Museum of Nikopolis, located in the Prefecture of Preveza, Greece, where selected exhibits act as "bridges" to scientific knowledge related to this concept. During their visit to the museum, students engage with the exhibits in a playful manner and, through a series of interactive and collaborative activities, are led to understand the concept of air and its properties, in alignment with the principles of the national curriculum for preschool and primary education.

The program is therefore addressed to students of all grades, in both kindergarten and primary school, with minor adjustments to the level of difficulty depending on the age group