Gray Matters, May 2026

Making Time for Childhood at Capitol Hill Day School

I don’t know about you, but I feel like I blinked and it was May! Where did the time go? 

Our perception of time is a curiosity to me. In particular, I am intrigued by the inherent contradiction in how we experience time. Days and weeks can feel long, while the years simultaneously appear to speed by. The equation doesn’t always seem to add up. Thankfully, time’s mathematical dilemma is primarily an adult problem. Children in our community experience time differently. 

At Capitol Hill Day School, we work with intention to create a learning environment that does not feel rushed. As educators, we make every effort to be a place that slows down the pace of childhood. Inherent in our mission and philosophy are several important commitments: 

• We have a deep commitment to play and believe that it is through play and exploration, at all ages, that we do some of our most important learning.
• Structure has value in school, but so do moments of informality. We are committed to providing children with less structured times. An important component of this commitment is creating ample opportunities for children to be outdoors and running around with friends. 
• We make time for field education. Expanding the learning environment through field experiences is a fundamental element of our teaching and learning. We believe in committing time away from the classroom and traditional lessons. 
• We study topics in depth, taking time to explore questions and address compelling problems. It is important to us not to rush learning and to allow for time to engage in extended projects. 

At Capitol Hill Day School, we focus on the vital childhood years, during which the most important learning occurs. We allow children to be children without feeling the pressure to grow up too fast, and we create an ideal environment in which they can navigate the sometimes turbulent transition to adolescence. We are a school for children—in the sense that children are our students, but also in the sense that we are unequivocally for children, advocates with their best interests at heart.