Ijams Nature Play Club (Part-time Preschool)

Geared For Ages 3-5 

Description: 

Looking for a part-time preschool program that allows students to immerse themselves in nature 100% of the time? Ijams Nature Play Club offers all outdoors, all the time!

The part-time Ijams Nature Play Club provides a hands-on, experiential approach to learning that is based on the needs and curiosity of young children. Students will experience an outdoor, forest school-type educational model on 315+ acres of protected land at Ijams Nature Center. This program is perfect for homeschoolers, nature lovers, and families whose children aren’t quite ready for the full-time Ijams Nature Preschool, but are interested in socialization for their child. Spots fill quickly! 

PROGRAM COMPONENTS:

• Exploratory Play and Learning for Kids 3-5*
• OUTSIDE PLAY ALL MORNING
• PART-TIME: Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 am-12:15 pm
• Low Child-to-Teacher Ratio
• Social, Emotional, and Community-Based Development
• Full Safety Plan to Care for Families During COVID-19
• * Students must be 3 years old and fully potty-trained by their first day of school.

MISSION

The Ijams Nature Play Club's mission is to: Inspire children, families, and educators to connect more deeply with the world around them. Through Ijams research and programs, children and families will develop a profound engagement with the natural world, where nature is an integral part of children’s daily learning.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

The Nature Preschool meets Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 am-12:15 pm. The Play Club will follow most of the Knox County Schools holiday calendar unless it makes sense to deviate considering our families' needs. Once your application has been received, you will receive an email invitation to schedule a tour or attend an open house. An in-person or zoom meeting with the Nature Preschool Administrator is a requirement for admission.* After the meeting, your admission request will be reviewed and you will be notified via email about the status of your application, invoiced for a $300 deposit to hold your enrollment, and sent an enrollment packet. *IMPORTANT NOTE* Ijams Nature Play Club students will spend 100% of their time outdoors and/or under primitive pavilions, which will include healthy exposure to the outside elements, and potential exposure to and contact with nut allergens like black walnuts, hickory nuts, sunflower seeds, etc. The class often visits public use areas such as the Visitor Center and Jo's Grove playground on the Ijams grounds. Although the classroom has a nut-free policy, the public use areas and outdoor experiences cannot be guaranteed to be free from contact with nut allergens. Exposure to other outdoor environmental allergens like pollen, mold, grass, and poison ivy is very likely. Safety is always our primary focus, and the Nature Play Club has an intact safety net, policies, and procedures to prevent and mitigate exposure to risk. However, given the nature of this program, parental awareness and caution is important to your child's attendance and success. If your child has allergies or other medical needs, please speak with the Nature Play Club faculty to discuss options for your child's participation.

Information to Note:  Please read all age requirements on ijams.org carefully before registering.  After Ijams receives your application, you will receive an email or phone call from the Ijams Nature Play Club faculty in the next 2-3 days to schedule a tour (zoom or in person) and discuss any additional questions your family has for us. Please feel free to contact Nature Preschool Administrator Leslee Moore at 865-679-5491 or preschool@ijams.org.

Location: Every class meets near the Nature Preschool building at Martha's Meadows Play area before heading out on daily educational adventures. More orientation information will become avaialble to you after we receive your application and schedule a tour. 

For more information go to: https://www.ijams.org/nature-play-club