Mini Masters, a program of The Academy Art Museum, offers an Early Enrichment Program for children ages 2–4. Our museum-based curriculum blends exploration of art with basic principles of early learning. In addition to general monthly themes, we implement an emergent curriculum whereby topics are explored as they relate to children’s interests. We have a mixed-age classroom that provides an environment for fostering community and encouraging developmental and academic milestones.

We introduce young children to new ideas through a thematic and inquiry-based approach to learning that emphasizes relationships and the ability to make meaningful connections. It teaches a basic life skill—how to learn—and focuses on strategies and techniques that can be applied to almost any encounter with the unknown. The focus is not on acquiring facts or information but rather on the process of learning through inquiry and sensory exploration of objects. It is through this process that children are empowered to make ideas their own.