PROGRAM NEWS:
There’s space in half-day mornings for 2024-25!
Spark your child’s connection to the natural world in an environment that encourages adventure, appreciates risk, and ignites wonder.
Email the Nature Preschool Director
ALDO LEOPOLD NATURE PRESCHOOL IS FOR AGES 3 TO 5
Tailored for curious minds ages 3 to 5, Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool (ALNP) immerses children in outdoor and indoor spaces brimming with hands-on materials, captivating stories, and boundless play. Every activity invites wonder, from discovering hidden forest treasures to experimenting with natural elements, fostering imagination and creativity. At ALNP, children shape their world and witness firsthand the beauty of their actions unfolding in nature’s classroom.
Program Objectives
To use nature as a teaching tool to:
- Provide an opportunity for preschool-aged children to connect and learn with their peers in a group setting, fueling their independence and preparing them for Kindergarten
- Encourage risky play, sparking resilience, igniting creativity, building physical strength, and sharpening social skills
- Foster a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world, leading to admiration and respect for the environment
WHAT IS A NATURE PRESCHOOL?
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.
Curious about our enrollment process? Learn more here. Please direct questions regarding Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool to Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool Director, Courtney Woods.
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 |
2024/2025 Aldo Leopold Nature Preschool Calendar
HOW DO YOU ENROLL & WHEN?
Enrollment interest opens on March 1st for new families for the following 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.
¡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.
