Sloyd began in Sweden in the 1870’s as a public school program focusing on the educational benefits of woodworking. The founders believed that when children are engaged in the process of using hand tools to craft things out of wood, then the eye, the hand, and the mind work together to develop the whole person.

Today, the Sloyd program at McCarthy-Towne offers students a weekly opportunity to engage in a variety of art-making processes that stimulate imagination, refine perception, develop technical skills, encourage risk-taking, and promote pride in craftsmanship.

Sloyd is part of the larger Acton Public Schools Visual Arts Department. The primary vehicle for learning in the Sloyd studio is unique to McCarthy-Towne, however, as the emphasis is on sculptural work. Units in Sloyd encourage children to think three-dimensionally to transform traditional and non-traditional materials into an expressive sculptural medium.

Sculpting with wood and learning how to use hand tools properly, including hammers, coping saws, rasps, and files, is an important aspect of Sloyd. Each grade also works with an array of other sculptural materials, such as clay, papier-mâché, plaster, wire, recyclables, and fibers.