Welcome

Our facility will be closed on Monday, Jan. 15th in observation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Our building will reopen to the public at 9am on Tuesday, Jan. 16th.

As always, our grounds and trails featuring self-guided tours are free and open daily from dawn until dusk.
Please exercise caution to remain safe on trails, sidewalks, and driveways, as conditions may be icy.

Our facility is open on weekdays from 9am to 4pm and on weekends from 10am to 2pm.

As always, our grounds and trails featuring self-guided tours are free and open daily from dawn until dusk.

Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool

GROW YOUR CHILD’S CONNECTION TO NATURE.

Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool is a program of ALNC and shares our mission to nurture children, their well-being, and environmental sustainability through connecting and learning in nature. Designed for children ages 3 to 5, Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool (ALNP) provides outdoor and indoor environments rich in hands-on materials, literature, and open-ended play time, which encourage wonder, discovery, experimentation, invention, creation, and the opportunity to see the results of one’s actions.

ALNP Frequently Asked Questions
 

We deeply value diversity and inclusion across our programs. ALNP now accepts Wisconsin Shares, and offers full price and access rate options, as well as limited tuition assistance. Families of ALL abilities, backgrounds, communities, income-levels, neighborhoods, and other societal structures are encouraged to enroll at Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool. Families experiencing economic hardship and/or who speak English as a second language are strongly encouraged to apply.

WEIGHTED LOTTERY FOR 2024-25 IS OPEN UNTIL MARCH 15th

Enroll your child in the Nature Preschool Lottery

Curious about our enrollment process? Learn more here. Please direct questions regarding Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool to Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool Director, Courtney Woods.

For information how we are adapting Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool to ensure the safety of our students, their families and our staff, please review our COVID-19 Policies

Looking for our parent-child program for preschool-aged children? Check out Wonder Bugs!

Para español, desplácese hacia abajo.

 

A Day in the Life of an Aldo Leopold Nature Preschooler

Explore the world of Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool with this short video highlighting the outdoor education and fun the Nature Preschoolers have experienced this semester.

 

Not quite ready for Nature Preschool? Explore Nature Beginnings, our weekly program for children with little to no previous preschool experience.

 

WHAT DAYS & TIMES DO YOU OFFER NATURE PRESCHOOL?

We have several class offerings: Monday thru Friday mornings, Tuesday thru Friday afternoons, and Monday thru Friday full day. We also have a program called Nature Beginnings that meets one or two days a week (on Mondays and/or Fridays).

Days of the Week Times
M thru F – Morning        8:30 am to 11:30 am
Tues thru Fri – Afternoon        12:30 pm to 3:30 pm
Mon thru Fri – Full Day        8 am to 3:30 pm
After Care Begins at 3:35 pm for full-day students; pick-up by 5:30 pm

 

2023/2024 Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool Calendar

 

HOW DO YOU ENROLL & WHEN?

Enrollment interest opens on March 1st for new families for the 2024/2025 school year. A link will be posted on this page, where you will be prompted to enter your child’s information and pay a registration fee. This does not guarantee your child a spot, but rather puts their name into our lottery system. You will be asked to rank your preferences for programs (e.g. first preference is full day, second preference is M thru F morning). Please note that our registration process is NOT first-come, first-serve and families have two weeks to register their interest, after which names will be placed into a lottery and pulled to create balanced classes.

Enrollment closes on March 15th and the preschool director notifies families of child’s class placement shortly thereafter (usually by the end of the week). You’ll receive an email with either a registration offering or notification of waitlist placement. You may choose to accept or decline the spot for your child. We do our best to give everyone their first choice for classes, but it doesn’t always work out!
 
More information about Nature Preschool Enrollment can be found here.

 

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Monthly tuition is offered at full price and access rate options. We accept Wisconsin Shares and limited tuition assistance is available for families in need. Our Wisconsin Shares FIS Provider ID is E282293. Please reach out to our Preschool Director via email or phone with any questions.
 
Tuition rates for the 2024/2025 school year.

 

WHO SHOULD ENROLL?

Children…

  • Who will be 3 years of age (but not yet 5) as of September 1st
  • Who will be potty-trained as of September 1st
  • From ALL backgrounds
  • Of ALL communities

ALNC reserves the right to hold space for families in financial need and/or who speak English as a second language.

 

MEET THE EDUCATORS!

Learn about the staff at Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool.

 
Please review our Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool Family Handbook prior to dropping your child off for their first day of nature preschool. Children must be three years of age by September 1st to attend.
 
 
 
 
 

¡Ahora abierto!

Aldo Leopold Preescolar Natural es un programa de ALNC (Aldo Leopold Centro Natural) y comparte nuestra misión de involucrar y educar a las generaciones actuales y futuras, permitiéndoles respetar, proteger y disfrutar del mundo natural.

Aldo Leopold Preescolar Natural proveerá en los dos ambientes tanto adentro como afuera ricos en materiales prácticos, literatura y tiempo de juego abierto que fomentan la maravilla, el descubrimiento, la experimentación, la invención, la creación y la oportunidad de ver los resultados de las acciones de uno.

Revise su bandeja de entrada o comuníquese con la Sra. Courtney para obtener más información.

Si está en nuestra lista de correo de preescolar de Nature, busque un correo electrónico con información adicional pronto. Si desea ser agregado a la lista de correo preescolar, envíe un correo electrónico a cara@aldoleopoldnaturecenter.org.

 

Aldo Leopold Nature Center