The Grove believes children thrive through outdoor, hands-on, experiential learning. Time in nature supports creativity, imaginative play, physical development, and mental well-being. Children explore native plants and garden edibles safely, learn respectful use of tools, practice gentle care of insects, and are guided in safe physical play. 

Our child-centered, community-rooted curriculum honors the relationships between children, teachers, families, and the environment. We respect family values and cultures, embrace social justice and anti-bias learning, and support children’s self-regulation, independence, and whole-child development while building strong foundations in natural science and STEM. 

Learning is experiential, seasonal, place-based, and interest-led, emerging from sensory-rich experiences shaped by children’s curiosity, the local environment, and seasonal rhythms rather than fixed lesson plans. We support diverse learning styles through responsive strategies such as modeling, scaffolding, group experiences, observation, and documentation. 

This year, we will be offering two full-day classes (kindergarten and preschool) as well as a kindergarten enrichment class and morning preschool sessions. In total, we have five classrooms on six acres of land.

Children must be fully potty-trained before they come to school. This includes pull-ups and diapers. If your child has an accident, we will call you to come change them.

The only exception will be full-day kids at nap time.

Children must be older than 3 years before September 1st to attend The Grove. Full-day class will be reserved for children 3.5 years old to 5 years old. Children must turn 5 years old before September 1st to attend either Kindergarten class.

For both full-day and homeschool enrichment Kindergarten, children must be 5 years old before September 1st.

For all preschool classes, children must be 3 years old before September 1st.

All classes (kindergarten and preschool) will have 12 children and 2 teachers.

These are for all classes, preschool and kindergarten.

Drop off Time: 9:00 am

AM session Pick Up: 12:00 pm

Full day session Pick Up: 4:00 pm

Nature Kindergarten is a play-based, outdoor program for families seeking a developmentally appropriate, nature-centered kindergarten experience. Children learn through hands-on exploration, movement, inquiry, and real-world experiences.

Students build foundational skills in early literacy, math, problem-solving, independence, and social-emotional development through play and experiential learning. This program is not test-driven and does not follow a formal academic standards model.

Families planning for their child to transition into a “traditional first grade classroom” after Nature Kindergarten are responsible for ensuring their child is prepared for the expectations of that setting. Some families may choose to supplement academics at home to support a smooth transition.

A good fit for families who:

• Value outdoor, play-based learning

• Understand that learning may look different from traditional classroom models

• Are comfortable supplementing academics if transitioning to first grade

• Want a slower-paced, relationship-centered kindergarten experience

Homeschool Enrichment Kindergarten

Homeschool Enrichment Kindergarten is designed for families who plan to homeschool and are seeking social connection, outdoor learning, and enrichment experiences.

Children participate in nature play, cooperative projects, creative expression, and group learning. The program includes light academic exposure (such as letter recognition, early phonics, number sense, and counting) but does not follow a formal kindergarten curriculum or include academic benchmarks tied to grade-level readiness.

This program is intended to complement a family’s homeschool, with families remaining responsible for core academic instruction.

A good fit for families who:

• Plan to homeschool

• Want social interaction and peer connection

• Value play-based, hands-on learning

• Prefer gentle academic exposure without testing or benchmarks

• Prioritize curiosity, confidence, and whole-child development

Anyone can sign up for either program option. I.e. homeschool families can take kinder or kinder students can sign up for homeschool enrichment

We honor unique learning styles and recognize that children learn in many ways. Teachers use flexible, responsive strategies such as modeling, scaffolding, small and large group experiences, prepared environments, observation, and documentation to support all learners. 

Our outdoor classroom curriculum emphasizes loose parts of play, using natural materials to inspire creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, engineering, scientific thinking, and physical development. These open-ended materials support whole-child growth through exploration and imaginative play. 

Our curriculum is emergent and Reggio-inspired, with learning guided by children’s interests, the environment, and teacher expertise. Children engage in meaningful STEM learning through inquiry, experimentation, and design thinking, supported by reflection and intentional outcomes focused on curiosity, persistence, and understanding. 

Fridays are optional enrichment days focused on hands-on projects, creative exploration, and social learning. They are not part of the core Kindergarten instructional week. This will be available first come first served. Please check the box on your form if you would like to learn more about the enrichment opportunity.

We will have both a full-day and a part-day opportunity.

Purchase a spot in the M/W class as well as the T/TH class.

For this year, our only options for kindergarten are either M-TH FULL DAY or M/W AM enrichment.

You can always add a part-day or a full day on Fridays.

School payment and communication go through Brightwheel.

Monday - Thursday | FULL DAY
$1,680 per month

Two days a week | FULL DAY
$840 per month

Two days a week | AM ONLY
$360 per month

Friday Enrichment
AM - $180 per month
FULL DAY - $420 per month

*Includes both kindergarten and preschool

5% returning student discount (must register before 2.9) & active military discount

25% sibling discount

We take state-subsidized childcare and reduced rates based on income.

The Grove classes are completely nature based and take place outside in all weather conditions, except for severe weather (wind, flooding, etc). Our experienced educators, low ratios, and safety protocols ensure that our students are safe and supported. Despite the many benefits to nature school, the outdoor setting can present limitations that may not meet the needs of every single child. Your child will have the highest potential for success in the program if they have skills to participate in group activities safely and respectfully, adhere to safety rules and boundaries, tolerate a variety of weather and clothing densities, and attend regularly to build confidence and skills for outdoor school. 

All registration fees are non-refundable. Final handbooks and calendar will be sent out in spring 2026 for the 2026-2027 school year.