"One of the saddest things in life is the issue of splendid child-material into commonplace, uninteresting maturity..." 

     "Boers and kopjes, Russians and Japanese, Treasure Island, Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday, the fight of Thermopylae, Ulysses and the Suitors--these are the sorts of things that children play at by the month together...And, if the little people were in the habit of telling how they feel, we should learn perhaps that they are a good deal bored by the nice little games in which they frisk like lambs, flap their fins, and twiddle their fingers like butterflies."   

     Charlotte Mason brings attention throughout her writings to the great yet often undervalued worth of a well developed imagination.  The child whose imagination is fed and encouraged will be a more creative, thoughtful, and interesting person for it.  Charlotte Mason advocates plenty of free, unstructured play in the out-of-doors where children have the room (for noise and action) and the privacy (from adult eyes) to act out whatever catches their fancy, perhaps yesterday's history lesson about King Henry V and his victory at Agincourt, perhaps last month's literature selection of The Boxcar Children, or perhaps something as familiar as a trip to the marketplace.  It is during these periods of fantasy play that children become someone else and learn to put themselves into another's shoes, considering what that person did or what they could have done.  They learn to think through problems and come to solutions all on their own while having fun.

     The Tanglewood School Curriculum gives support to the parent wanting to kindle and keep aflame his child's imagination.  In our one-of-a-kind plan book, the teacher's Corebook, there are recording spaces so that a parent can see at a glance if his child is having an appropriate amount of free play.  Our literature, history, and science programs all utilize enthralling books sure to ignite imaginations.  So join in on the fun and let your child's imagination soar!

*Check out Charlotte Mason's view on how literature affects the imagination on the literature and reading page!

*Note: Only grades 1-4 are available at this time.