City and Country School

Caroline Pratt, a true visionary, wouldn’t settle for the conventional. She saw the spark in children’s eyes, the thirst for knowledge waiting to be ignited. Right here at City and Country School, that spark became a flame. City and Country School, nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village, is no ordinary school. It’s a testament to a revolutionary idea: let children learn by doing, by exploring, by simply being. Founded in 1914 as the “Play School”, City and Country School was Pratt’s laboratory of learning. Originally housed in a modest three-room apartment, the school quickly outgrew its humble beginnings. Thanks to the support of Lucy Sprague Mitchell, the school found larger quarters on MacDougal Alley and later its permanent home on West 12th and 13th Streets. Pratt believed that play wasn’t frivolous; it was the very essence of learning. Those iconic wooden unit blocks? Pratt’s own creation, designed to unlock children’s imaginations and build their understanding of the world. Imagine the classrooms at City and Country School buzzing with activity. Children building miniature cities, running a post office, even publishing their own newspaper. They weren’t just memorizing facts, they were living them. City and Country School wasn’t confined to the classroom walls. Field trips were an integral part of the curriculum, opening young minds to the vibrant tapestry of New York City. Pratt’s influence extended beyond City and Country School. Her work inspired the All-Day Neighborhood Schools Program in New York City public schools. A fitting tribute to a woman who dedicated her life to transforming education. City and Country School remains a beacon of progressive education. It’s a place where curiosity flourishes, where children learn to think critically, and where the joy of discovery never fades. A legacy built, block by block, on the belief in the power of play.