Cascina Biblioteca: Art and Movement for the Little Ones
Experiential art workshops with children aged 2 to 5 at Cooperativa Cascina Biblioteca in via Casoria, Milan. A setting immersed in greenery where we nurture expressive abilities, support social bonds and stimulate creativity and painting skills in the youngest children.
A Green Oasis in the Heart of Milan
Cascina Biblioteca is a social cooperative located in Parco Lambro, Milan. Born from the merger of two long-standing cooperatives — Viridalia and Il Fontanile — it operates as a combined type A+B cooperative, dedicated both to supporting vulnerable individuals and to the vocational integration of disadvantaged people. A place where nature, inclusion and community come together.
It was in this setting — surrounded by greenery, far from the concrete of the city — that in 2019-2020 I led experiential art workshops with children aged 2 to 5.
The Workshops
The workshops took place in the cooperative’s spaces — bright, spacious and welcoming — allowing the children to move freely between play and painting, which merged into a single sensory experience.
The activities were designed to:
- Nurture expressive abilities through colour and materials
- Support social bonds within the peer group
- Stimulate creativity and painting skills from early childhood
- Develop sensory perception through contact with a variety of materials
The Importance of the Setting
Working in a suitable space transforms the creative experience. The children arrived already in a state of openness and wonder: the surrounding natural environment lowered their defences, stimulated their senses and invited exploration. Art therapy in this context became a natural extension of play and discovery.
When a child paints surrounded by trees, the boundary between inside and outside dissolves. Colour and the world become one and the same.
An Experience That Left Its Mark
Although the collaboration ended in 2020, the experience at Cascina Biblioteca profoundly enriched my approach to working with very young children. I learned the value of space as a therapeutic tool in its own right.