FAQs

The amount of time we spend outside is dependent on weather, however, we go outside each and every day for extended periods of time!  On warm and mild days, we may never enter the building except to use the bathroom. On bitter cold days, we may utilize our indoor classroom space till it warms up enough for us to safely explore outdoors. We dress for the weather and seek shelter for extreme cold, winds, or nasty storms!  Due to our low student:teacher ratio, we are able to have some children outside while other are inside on the coldest days of the year.  Surprisingly, our bodies acclimate to changes in weather smoothly since we are outside every day all year round.

We are a non-profit, licensed childcare that is often referred to as an independent 'nature school' or 'forest school' or 'outdoor school' by our children and families.  We are not a universal preschool because we believe in the concept of an 'emergent curriculum' where the needs and interests of the children, as well as the discoveries we make in nature, drive our curriculum rather than state standards.  Further, because we are a licensed childcare, we can accept subsidies and many of our families have taken part of this program which is based on financial need.

This information is described in our family handbook. You can find the Family Handbook under the 'Kinglets Nature School' tab on our website.  In a nutshell, your child will need  to dress for the weather, have extra clothes on hand, as well as a snack, water, and lunch. We have some outdoor gear to lend out to families and many families share their gear among themselves, but please ask if you need assistance finding the right gear for your child! See below for a visual on how to dress your child for cold or wet weather.

There are two main reasons why we might have a higher cost than other childcare or school programs:
1. We have a smaller student:teacher ratio than the state requires and most other childcare programs.  Because we venture into natural areas where there are no fences, we strive to have one teacher for every 4-5 students.  This also allows us to meet the needs of each child better.
2. We want our teachers to earn a livable wage.  Childcare salaries are quite low around the country and we want to attract and keep the best teachers possible by offering them a salary they deserve for the important work they do.  Three of our teachers  founded this non-profit back in 2013, which is a testament to their commitment to the mission and their love for the job.

The verdict is out:  play is the best way for young children to gain the physical, sensory, emotional, social, and cognitive skills necessary to succeed in school later on.  Outdoor & play based programs not only allow children to develop a strong sense of place, they also build grit, confidence, creativity, imagination, problem-solving skills, & empathy. If you'd like to delve into the research, this lit review is a great place to start:  https://fwnidot.files.wordpress.com/2018/09/fwni-peer-2018-nature-play-literature-review.pdf

Kindergarten is not compulsory in the state of VT.  Vermont law requires schools to offer kindergarten, but does not require children to attend kindergarten at age five. Compulsory school attendance is not required until age six. Parents should contact their school district to see what the exact cut-off date is in order to enroll their 5 yr old in a school, because these dates are not set in stone and differ among districts.