Our early childhood program fully immerses children ages 3 to 5 in nature-based and play-based learning influenced by the “forest school” philosophy. Students have lunch and quiet time inside but, otherwise, spend their time outdoors.
At Eastern Ridge Nature Preschool, we firmly believe that play is the work of early childhood, and that the meadows, free-form sand pits, and wooded areas of our 3-acre property are the perfect setting for young children to collaborate, imagine, problem solve, and engage in developmentally appropriate “risky” play.
We also believe that children’s innate curiosity and sense of wonder are assets to be nurtured and cultivated, and that the natural world provides infinite opportunities for fostering connection to self, others, and the world around them.
We offer two early childhood classes, known as the Chipmunks and Sassafras. Each mixed-age group includes up to nine children and is overseen by one teacher and one assistant teacher. (Learn more about our incredible teachers on the Staff page.)
Each day, teachers incorporate opportunities for teacher-led engagement involving process-oriented art-making, story time, songs, and interactive dramatic/puppet play inspired by their experiences and observations in nature.
They also incorporate the real work of planning, prepping, planting, tending, and harvesting our huge vegetable and pollinator gardens and maintaining our composting program.
Perhaps most importantly, the foundational skills of social-emotional literacy and self-help skills are woven into the fabric of every day. Alumni parents often remark on the advanced social-emotional skills exhibited by Eastern Ridge alumni when compared to their peers entering kindergarten.
Every week, each of our early childhood classes enjoys a forest day, which we consider a cornerstone of our program. Twice a month they head to Wolf Trap National Park where they spend the entire day exploring its woods and trails. On alternating weeks, they enjoy a morning at Far Away Hill, a magical wooded area connected to the school’s property.
At the end of each school day, parents can expect an email describing their child’s day along with photos documenting their adventures.