Bodies The Exhibit and children (only people who have seen it or educators familiar with it please)?

Question

My oldest daughter is 4 years old and very bright. She doesn't get "creeped out" by much (she got scared at a dinosaur exhibit, but then decided that when she turned 4 it wouldn't scare her anymore - and sure enough, we went back and she went right in and had a great time). There's a "science guy" who comes to her school with tarantulas, scorpions and various lizards, and none of them bother her. So what do you think of the "Bodies" exhibit (the one where they use real bodies to educate people about anatomy)? Is she just too young for it, or will she take her cues on how to react to it from me? I'd like to take her, but my husband thinks it might be too much for her. Thanks.

Answer 1

Well, I am a high-school science teacher. I have not seen the exhibit, but I've done some reading about it and I've seen pictures. I'm not sure what to tell you, it seems to me you've got a good head. I was raised on a hog farm, and I worked in a hog slaughterhouse. Being raised on a rude farm, I've seen a lot of horrifying things, death, accidents, hog cannibalism, on and on. I survived. I think it really boils down to a few basic questions you need to come up with answers for yourself, such as:
1) What do I reasonably expect my child to learn from this experience?
2) Do I think there's a reasonable chance this may harder her perspective and desensitize her to human suffering?
3) Am I willing to deal with the fact that many of these humans did not donate their bodies, but in fact were Chinese prisoners and this was done to them? Are you willing to participate in the exhibit in good conscience knowing that the Chinese government and participants are unwilling to discuss how the bodies were procured?
4) Will she think this is "neat"?

Lastly, I might wrestle with this myself, given the moral questions involved. If it were not for the murky procurement of the bodies, if everything was above-board and donated, I'd go in a heartbeat. But I'd definitely be asking myself some hard questions about taking a 4-year-old. I wish you the best, and hope it all works out for you. If it's any consolation, I understand that there isn't anything particularly scary about the way the bodies are displayed. But you should definitely have a talk with the kid in advance and be prepared to leave immediately without question if she wants to get out of there. Best of luck.

Answer 2

I was there.
I say don't bring her. Read on to see my opinion.
The exhibit is very visual. You see everything that deals with the human body and it is all real. They have everything from fetuses to whole insides of bodies.
If I had kids I wouldn't take them there. I have a pretty strong stomach when it comes to seeing gross things (I have had my share), but that was just about too much for me. I guess that's why I am not in a medical field.
I don't think that such a young child should be exposed to things such as the exhibit until they fully understand the human body and have matured mentally/physically.
Now, I am not you, and the decision is yours. Your the parent and it's up to you to bring up and nurture your child how you would have them to grow up. Your responsible for her and any questions, too. I hope this info. helps.
Yes, there were other kids there. I didn't see any of that young of an age though.

Answer 3

Bodyworlds2 ? Yes I went to see it and highly recommend it. It is kind of difficult to realise that those are real bodies which have been plasticised.
Well.......I remember there were lots of kids ! Who were also asking to touch various bodyparts : heart, tongue etc...I don't remember seeing a kid screaming in horror...Just a few were pointing at the genitals of course and giggling but that was to be expected.(saw it in Toronto last January)

Well.......the first answerer did not have the same experience !
Maybe a matter of location then......

Interesting remark from "fortitud".......I heard that the German physicist used some kind of dirty tactics and got the bodies from Russia !:-)..But it is all hearsay so I don't know.

I have a postcard next to me :a man. You see the skull, nose plasticised as well as tendons in the neck, arms, back. The chest cavity is totally open and shows the spine. Funny I was not grossed out although I never watch horror/gore movies...

I found the organs on display very interesting too : the healthy ones compared to diseased ones: hearts, liver etc.....and there were medical students to answer questions that people might have about various functions of the body......

Highly recommend it !

Answer 4

At four years old, she will almost certainly take all her cues on how to react from you and your husband if you take her. So I recommend you take her and leave your husband at home! The exhibits are breathtakingly beautiful, and a stunning revelation of what's inside each of us. Of course we KNEW that was what was in there, but this makes it very real. The worst thing that could happen if you take your daughter is that she'll forget all about it in a few hours. But maybe it will plant a seed and she'll become a renowned surgeon, who knows?

Hope she has a great life, it's wonderful she has a mom who thinks about these sorts of things!!


"Metaphorical" (message above)....You think maybe they were "realistic" because they are real? What rock were you under?

Answer 5

I saw it last week and personally, I think she is way too young. There were parts of it that disturbed me. Some of the bodies are cut vertically into pieces, and there are babies too. It is extremely realistic. While I was there an elementary school group came in and one of the teachers ended up taking some of the students out because it was upsetting them.

If you really want her to see, go first and then decide, but I wouldn't take her.