Nature Preschool
Imagine spending 50% or more of your day exploring, playing and learning outside. Students attending the FULL-TIME Ijams Nature Preschool will do just that. It makes you want to be a kid again!
Ijams Nature Preschool
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Exploratory Play and Learning for Kids 3-5*
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Low Child-to-Teacher Ratio
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Outside Play Every Day (At Least 50% Each Day)!
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Social, Emotional, and Academic Kindergarten Preparedness
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DHS licensed child care facility
MISSION
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The Ijams Nature Preschool is an experiential, nature-based preschool for children ages 3-5* that combines:
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An outdoor classroom where students are given an opportunity to explore the natural world and learn environmental stewardship, and
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An indoor classroom where they are guided through traditional and child-centered academic lessons.
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Through this unique combination of experiences, the Nature Preschool at Ijams Nature Center nurtures students’ social, emotional, and intellectual development and helps them learn valuable lessons about themselves and their world.
* Students must be 3 years old and fully potty-trained by their first day of school.
Spots fill quickly! Apply here. Please contact Education Director, Jennie McGuigan with questions or for more information at +1865-577-4717 ext.1010 or preschool@ijams.org.
Looking for part-time care?
Check out the
Ijams Nature Play Club!
TUITION RATES & POLICIES
Tuition is $9,700 for the school year. This constitutes a 40-week school year, and is billed monthly. Hours are 9 am-3:30 pm Monday-Friday. Upon acceptance, a $970 payment is required to secure a child’s place in the Nature Preschool. The deposit is nonrefundable and nontransferable, and will be applied to tuition payment schedule.
Tuition is billed monthly on the following schedule:
Initial Deposit $970
August $873
September $873
October $873
November $873
December $873
January $873
February $873
March $873
April $873
May $873
TOTAL $9,700
The Ijams Nature Preschool does not charge additional registration or activity fees; tuition is all-inclusive. Tuition assistance is available upon request and completion of the application. Apply here.
AFTERCARE
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The Ijams Nature Preschool aftercare program is offered from 3:30-5:30 pm Monday-Friday for families that need extended hours. The cost is:
$20/hour or $4000/year (Annual plan is a discount of $2800)
“A lot of my friends find interest in the type of preschool Patrick is attending. He turned 5 in January and he has learned so much. He knows all the seasons of the year in order, the days of the week, months of the year, identifying continents on a world map, animal prints, and a plethora of other things in only two months of full-time nature play. Wild right? It’s child led, too, which is wonderful for their self-esteem.” -- Mom of an Ijams Nature Preschool Student
