Nature PreSchool

Puddle Jumpers is The Active Healthy Choice! 

Local-Organic-Cage-Free Education in the Great Outdoors for Independent, Adventurous Learners ages 2-5!

 

​​At Puddle Jumpers we believe curiosity is to be encouraged and celebrated! We feel the preschool years are made for first friendships, creative expression, open ended child initiated play, exciting discoveries, being exuberant & full of movement, laughter & happiness! The forced inactivity levels & confinement in germ ridden indoor classes, which is sadly the norm in most preschools, is truly an unhealthy and outdated approach. Nature Preschool is a wonderful place to practice and learn the life skills needed before entering a public, private or homeschool program. Learning in a Happy, Active Natural Environment can help your child to succeed in school and most importantly in life.

• Hands-on learning integrating Science, Literacy, Math and Art. 
• Best suited for Independent Adventurous Learners.
• Environmental Education in our beautiful 5 acre Living Classroom!
• We only shelter during “UNSAFE” weather.
• Calendar follows Pender county schools holidays,breaks & teacher workdays.
• Potty training is Not Required for enrollment.
• Wonderfully low-class sizes far below the industry standard.
• Weather appropriate outerwear for all seasons is required.
• Reggio Emilia, Waldorf and Montessori integrated learning. 
• Preschool begins the Tuesday after Labor day each year.
• Preschool ends the last Friday in May each year. 
• We welcome many Military families at Puddle Jumpers. 
• To honor our Military we offer a 10% discount on tuition. 
• We offer a 10% sibling discount on tuition.
• Only one discount per family applies.
• American Forest School Association Member
• National Wildlife Federation Certified Habitat
• EFRANS Member
  
• Eastern Region Association of Forest & Nature Schools
• Eco-Healthy Certified Preschool
• NC Toxic-Free Certified Preschool
• Member of the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance 
• Featured by The Natural Start Alliance
• Audubon Society Certified Bird Habitat
• Member of NAAEE
  
• North American Association for Environmental Education
• NAEYC Member
• Nature Explore Participant
• Growing up WILD curriculum 
• Project Learning Tree curriculum
• International Mud Day celebrated annually!
  
• Earth Day Celebrations annually!

THE 3/4 BUMBLEBEE CLASS

Class Time:
8:00 am to 12:00 pm

CLASS LIMIT 12 

THE 2’s CATERPILLAR CLASS

Class Time:
9:00 am to 12:00 pm

CLASS LIMIT 8 

THE 3/4 DRAGONFLY CLASS

Class Time:
8:30 am to 12:30 pm

CLASS LIMIT 12 

 

THE 2’s GRASSHOPPER CLASS

Class Time:
8:00 am to 11:00 am

CLASS LIMIT 8 

 

THE 4/5 BUTTERFLY CLASS

Class Time:
9 am to 1 pm

CLASS LIMIT 12 

 

 

FIREFLY FOREST KINDERGARTEN

Class Time:
8:45 am to 12:45 pm

CLASS LIMIT 12

Monday & Wednesday
or
Tuesday & Thursday
Monthly Tuition $275 
Registration fee $100 per child

Monday/Wednesday/Friday
or
Tuesday/Thursday/Friday
Monthly Tuition $375 
Registration fee $100 per child

Monday -Friday
Monthly Tuition $575

Registration fee $100 per child

EXPERIENCE NATURE PRESCHOOL

Would you enjoy visiting our Preschool to learn more about possible enrollment? Click below to arrange a tour with one of our program directors during the school day. We ask that children attend with their parents. The tour will last approximately 15 minutes. Complete our tour request form below and one of our program directors will contact you to schedule a time.

REGISTRATION

Complete your child’s enrollment:

• Submit enrollment paperwork
• Submit getting to know you form.
• Pay tuition & registration fee. 
• Payments are Non-refundable.
• Review Backpack/gear list 

You can drop off your enrollment paperwork at the preschool or email your paperwork to the link below-

puddlejumpersnaturepreschool@gmail.com 

 ENROLLMENT PAPERWORKBackpack/Gear listGetting to know your childRESERVATION PAYMENTS

Click here for more Detailed Curriculum information

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU MONTH

We want Puddle Jumpers Nature Preschool to be a happy experience for all the children who attend our program. To help decide if your child is ready for nature preschool and if enrollment is a good fit, each child’s first month of enrollment is considered a getting to know you period. The getting to know you month is an important step in our enrollment process to be sure our preschool is an appropriate fit for your child. In rare cases a child may not be emotionally ready to separate from parents, or be overwhelmed by being in a group of children, or the physical activity level of our program is just too much. We practice open communication with all our preschool families to make sure each child settles in and is ready to attend. If your child is not ready we allow them to return in a few months, or the next season to try again. This works well for some of our 2 year olds who sometimes struggle with separation anxiety when being away from parents for the first time. We are here to work with your family to make nature preschool a happy experience for your child.