Snails & Turkey Tails Nature Preschool

Young children have an innate curiosity about the natural world and at Snails & Turkey Tails we support, and build on, that curiosity through full on nature immersion experiences. Nature provides a stimulating environment for exploration, encourages imaginative play, and offers sensory rich experiences with sights, sounds, and textures that are often new and exciting. In our opinion, nature is the original, and best, playground where children can discover and learn about the world around them; contributing to a sense of wonder and connection to their surroundings.
 

Studies show that nature-based education benefits children’s development and the environment, with increases shown in prosocial development, physical activity, and language development along with greater respect for nature. Nature-based preschools are powerful programs that fuse early childhood and environmental education to develop a child’s lifelong connection with the natural world.

Inspired by the forest school philosophy, 100% of our days are spent outside! Our program balances child-led, unstructured play and exploration with more structured, teacher-led activities. We find that this approach encourages all types of learners and expands on children's interests.

 

Morning Nature Preschool for ages 2-3 meets from 9–11:30 am at China Camp State Park. We can accommodate up to 6 children. Families register on a semester basis and can choose from a 2-5 day weekly schedule.

 

Ages 3–5 meet in the Afternoon Enrichment program, with drop-off between 12:30–1 pm and pick-up at 3:30 pm. These classes are a great add-on to the regular preschool or homeschool day. We can accommodate up to 8 children. Again, all classes meet at China Camp.