
The Nature Preschool offers children ages 3 to 5 a supportive learning environment that encourages discovery, experimentation, and connection through play in and with nature.
CONSIDERING THE NATURE PRESCHOOL FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2025/26? A limited number of full-day spots remain. Tours are available by appointment only over the summer. Email Katie Rooney, Director of Early Childhood Education, to schedule. For future enrollment, monthly tours will resume in the fall. Click the yellow button below to reserve a tour.
OUR PHILOSOPHY & ENVIRONMENT
Childhood should be joyful and wholesome. We believe that the earliest, most memorable kind of learning includes climbing trees, catching frogs, and making mud pies. We believe that empathy, love, curiosity, and respect are the truest foundation of learning. When thoughtful nature-based curriculum is combined with direct experiences in nature, a transformative change takes place. This connection is both powerful and empowering. We believe it is every child’s right, as an integral part of the natural community, to develop a foundation of academic skills through encounters in the natural world.
Our licensed and accredited program takes place outdoors on Irvine’s 211-acre property and in our Montessori and Reggio-inspired classrooms. Our early childhood educators create an open-ended curriculum, following their students’ interests. We entrust and empower our students to discover and investigate what they need most. Teachers are facilitators: providing materials, expanding on ideas and connection, and ensuring safety.
The Nature Preschool is designed to help your child develop cognitive and problem-solving skills while cultivating social skills and building their confidence through nature play and exploration.
We embrace risky play, teaching children to assess risk while listening to their body and inner voice. We celebrate Nature in all its beauty and weather, and our place in it. We are outside for 75-90% of the day.
THE NATURE PRESCHOOL MIGHT BE RIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY IF…
- You celebrate play and relationship as the main form of early learning.
- You believe kids should be loud and messy at least a good chunk of the time.
- You love being outside.
- You want your child to grow to respect and value all living things.
- You see childhood as a unique period of life- not just time to prepare for the next thing or school.
- You celebrate diversity in all its forms and value community.
- Your child is 3-5 years old and potty trained.*
We strive to create a community of families and staff with diverse backgrounds and abilities. Always a work in progress, we regularly reflect and work towards growth and improvement when necessary.
*If your child has particular needs that help them thrive, please reach out to us and we can explore how we can support you further.
ENROLLMENT and class scheduleS for 2025-26
We know every family is unique, and each has its own schedules and needs. As a result, The Nature Preschool has both full-day and half-day classes with Before and AfterCare available.
The Nature Preschool is fully enrolled for the current school year. Enrollment for 2025-26 is underway and spaces are nearly full. Applications for 2026-27 are also being accepted. Priority is given to returning students and their siblings. Learn more about our enrollment policies here.
- 5 Days, Monday through Friday (a combination of Maples and Walnuts) – $1,361/ month + down payment – ONE SPOT REMAINING
- Maples and Oaks: Monday, Wednesday, Friday – $816.50/ month + down payment – LIMITED SPACE
- Walnuts: Tuesday, Thursday – $544.50/ month + down payment – FULL
- Sycamores: Tuesday, Thursday – $343.50/ month + down payment – FULL
- Optional Before & After Care for an additional fee.
- Early Bird Care is available Monday-Friday, 8:30-9:00am, for families that need an earlier drop-off.
- Full-day students may extend their day with Fern Club AfterCare from 2-5pm. This program runs Monday-Friday, except for the first week of school and occasional Mondays or Tuesdays for staff meetings.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES
We are pleased to participate in the Maryland State Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program. Please note, CCS does not cover the down payment and families receiving the Maryland State Child Care Scholarship are responsible for the remaining tuition balance, in addition to the state-identified copay. For more information and application for the Child Care Scholarship, click here.
Additionally, Irvine is proud to offer the Woodpecker Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), a financial aid program from a generous group of private funders. Families may combine CCS with a TAP award and TAP awards are not contingent on receiving CCS. To apply for TAP, click here.



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