Educators and psychologists have long recognized the benefits of art creation as part of a child’s education. But simply spending time among great works of art can be even more rewarding. That’s why I invite you to skip the pool or park one Saturday afternoon and take your kids to an art museum instead.
May 31, 2026
The Benefits of an Afternoon at the Art Museum
Real Clear Education • Beth Herman
An afternoon at the art museum can do more than fill a weekend—it can train a child to slow down, look closely, and receive beauty with attention. Drawing on Charlotte Mason’s vision of a “well-stocked visual imagination,” this piece reminds parents that great art is not an enrichment extra, but a quiet and powerful part of formation: awakening wonder, deepening perception, and giving children images that can nourish thought and imagination for a lifetime.
Real Clear Education
What would change if we treated every part of our lives as worthy of prayer? And how might we learn to notice the beauty of the world when so much of modern life competes for our attention? On this episode of Forged, Brian Williams welcomes David and Phaedra Taylor for a conversation about prayer, art, family, and the habits that shape a meaningful life. They discuss their collaborative book Prayers for the Pilgrimage, the importance of making room for beauty in our homes, and the small decisions that help families resist the pull of digital distraction. Drawing on their experiences as artists, parents, and stewards of twenty-one acres of Texas prairie, the Taylors offer a thoughtful vision for living with greater attention, patience, and purpose. Along the way, David reflects on why artists are essential to human flourishing, while Phaedra shares what painting, motherhood, and restoring the land have taught her about creativity, limitation, and learning to let go of control.
Classical school graduates reflect on who they’ve become and how their education formed them in mind, character, and a lifelong love of learning.
What if some of the most formative patterns in a life begin with simple obligations, reading the same book again, walking the dog each morning, showing up for students, or staying rooted in one place? Christine Perrin talks with teacher Grant Holbrook about the relationships and repeated practices that quietly shape a person over time. Their conversation moves through Augustine, the Psalms, friendship, beauty, teaching, and the connection between knowledge and love. Along the way, Grant considers why education is deeply relational, why older students need responsibilities to younger ones, and how good books can become lifelong companions. For parents and teachers wondering what habits truly help form a human being, this conversation offers a hopeful picture of a life shaped through attention, fidelity, and love. Grant also shares practical patterns from his own life, including memorizing the Psalms while walking his dog, rereading great books under the helpful pressure of obligation, and taking time with former students who return, to walk, talk, and continue learning.