Pablo Picasso was right.
The world’s most versatile, acclaimed artist understood that for children, artistic expression is the most natural impulse in the world.
Unburdened by convention and expectation, the child creates art in its purest form, whether on canvas, in clay, through colorful collages or in wild and wonderful scribbling.
They tap into the true, spontaneous impulses of their imagination and, when left to follow those impulses, learn the joys both of experimenting with textures, colors and shapes and bringing to life what their mind imagines.
As they create art, children build the muscles of independence, learn to persevere when the clay collapses, and cultivate the confidence that comes from creating something wholly original.
These are just a few of the reasons why, from its earliest days, The Children’s School has been able to offer a thoughtful, sophisticated art program. Believing that fluency in art is as important as fluency in reading and math, the School gives children ample time and freedom in the art area to discover their capacity for creativity and personal expression: They choose the materials that interest them and use them in open-ended ways in painting, sculpture and collage.
This approach strengthens students’ awareness that just as there are different ways to form a sculpture, so is there more than one way to solve a problem or write a story. Head of School Maureen Murphy explains: “Through art, children grasp that it is the process, and not the end, that is the prize of all learning. Thus is the engine of ingenuity—of new, bold and original ideas—born and nurtured in the child.”
History and Mission
Drawing on over 55 years of experience in growing young hearts and minds, The Children’s School mission has always been to take children and their innate potential seriously. We understand child development, and from that fine-grained knowledge, we have created a warm, stimulating environment that invites children to develop their skills, discover what piques their interest and find a home in their curiosity and imagination. All are pivotal to deep learning and fluency of the mind. During their time in our classrooms, children are also taught the important values of respect and care for oneself, for others and for the world beyond our campus.
The Children’s School serves children ages 3 to 8. It is located at 118 Scofieldtown Road, Stamford, CT. For more information, please call 203.329.8815 or see www.childrensschool.org.
Come tour the campus and meet teachers at an Open House on Friday, November 5, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.