Nature Preschool
Now enrolling for Fall 2025!
A few spots remain for the current school year. Apply today to reserve your child’s place in our nature-based kindergarten readiness program for ages 3–5.
Our kindergarten readiness program for children ages 3-5 uses nature-based education to support the development of the whole child!
Application, Enrollment Process, & Waitlist Policy
How to Apply
We’re excited you’re considering Eagle Bluff Nature Preschool! Please follow the steps below to complete your child’s enrollment:
Step 1: Review the Handbook
Please read the Nature Preschool Handbook in full—it includes important details about tuition, fees, program policies, and what to expect.
Step 2: Apply & Optional Site Visit
- Fill out the application form here.
- For new students, a non-refundable $75 deposit is required to hold your child’s spot. This can be paid online.
- Although a site visit isn’t required, we highly encourage it. To schedule one, contact Jenna at jennam@eaglebluffmn.org or 507-467-2704.
Step 3: Enrollment & Availability
We currently anticipate 7 available spots for non-Head Start families.
- Priority is given to returning families.
- Remaining spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Once the class is full, additional applicants will be placed on a waiting list in order of application date.
Please note: Once you submit your application and deposit, your child’s spot will be held—unless you notify us that you no longer wish to proceed with enrollment.
Step 4: Final Paperwork
In early summer, we’ll email a set of required forms. To finalize enrollment, these documents must be completed and returned at least one week before school begins.
Waitlist Policy
In the event that our class reaches capacity, we will continue to accept waitlist applications along with the required deposit.
Should a spot become available, families on the waitlist will be contacted in the order their application was received.
If no openings become available, your deposit will be fully refunded.
Please note that waitlist applications do not carry over to future school years.
Questions?
Reach out to Jenna at jennam@eaglebluffmn.org or call 507-467-2704.
School Year, Enrollment Options, Tuition & Hours
2025–2026 School Year
September 8, 2025 – Early June 2026
(More details coming soon)
Full-Time Enrollment
Our Nature Preschool runs Monday through Thursday, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
- Tuition: $42.50 per day
- Includes: Breakfast, lunch, snack, and all required outdoor gear
Tuition is based on your child’s enrollment schedule, not daily attendance. This includes staff holidays, professional development days, and emergency closures due to illness or weather.
Part-Time Enrollment (Mornings Only)
Available for non-Head Start families
Families may choose a morning-only schedule, available Monday through Thursday from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM—the portion of the day with the most outdoor exploration.
- Tuition: $21.25 per day
- Flexible scheduling: Choose the number of days your child attends
- Families must commit to the full school year
- Priority is given to full-day enrollments
- An additional $7 monthly supply fee will be billed per child
Busing
Busing may be available through Rolling Hills Transit. Priority is given to Head Start students.
For the most up-to-date routes and availability, please contact Rolling Hills directly.
In the past school year, the bus made stops in Preston and Lanesboro, with a cost of $12 per day for round-trip service.
Scholarships
Head Start
Head Start and Early Head Start support pregnant women and children from birth to age 5. These programs connect families to early education, health care, and community services that promote child development and family well-being.
To apply, contact Jenny Zawislak at jenny.zawislak@semcac.org.
Early Learning Scholarship Program
Families with high financial need may qualify for a scholarship of up to $7,500 per year to help pay for early childhood programs like ours.
To apply, contact your local area or tribal administrator listed here, or call 1-888-291-9811.
Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)
CCAP helps families pay for part of their child care costs. You must use a legal child care provider. Please note: some counties may have a waiting list, especially for families who have not recently received cash assistance.
Learn more through your county’s human services department.
Eagle Bluff Scholarship
A limited number of need-based scholarships are available through Eagle Bluff. While funding is not guaranteed, we encourage families to apply.
These scholarships are made possible by generous donors who believe in expanding access to outdoor learning experiences.
SEMCAC Head Start Partnership
Eagle Bluff Nature Preschool is proud to partner with SEMCAC’s Head Start Program.
Our classroom includes a mix of both Head Start and non-Head Start students. All children benefit from a shared learning environment led by both Head Start and Eagle Bluff staff.
To help families better understand Head Start’s vision, philosophy, and goals, we’ve included additional information in the appendix of the Nature Preschool Handbook.
What is Nature Preschool?
Child-centered, nature-based
Founded in 2020, Eagle Bluff Nature Preschool nurtures the whole child through hands-on, nature-based learning. While we share the same child development goals as other high-quality preschools, our curriculum is rooted in daily outdoor exploration, fostering a deep connection to the natural world and a lifelong environmental ethic.
Nature Preschool Highlights:
☑ Nutritious meals (breakfast, lunch, and snack) provided
☑ Outdoor gear included
☑ Indoor classroom, natural playspace, and 250-acre campus for endless discovery
☑ Flexible scheduling options to support working families
Daily Nature Preschool Schedule
| Morning | |
|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Arrival |
| 8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 9:15 AM – 9:30 AM | Brain smart start morning group |
| 9:45 AM – 11:30 AM | Outdoor exploration |
| 11:45 AM | Lunch |
| Afternoon | |
|---|---|
| 12:15 PM | Repeated read aloud |
| 12:30 PM – 1:15 PM | Center choice/small group |
| 1:15 PM – 2:00 PM | Quiet/rest time |
| 2:00 PM | Small group or additional outdoors time |
| 2:45 PM | Snack, question of the day, and goodbye group |
| 3:00 PM | Pickup/bus leaves |
Is Nature Preschool Right for My Child?
Our preschoolers play and learn outdoors every day—rain, snow, or sunshine! If your child loves exploring, and doesn’t mind getting a little muddy, they’ll thrive in our nature-based learning environment.
Safety is our top priority. In cases of extreme weather, we remain indoors. See our Nature Preschool Handbook for details.
Our program uses Conscious Discipline, which encourages self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation.
See our Nature Preschool Handbook for more information on our philosophy on behavior guidance.
At the time of enrollment, preschoolers must:
- Be between 3–5 years old
- Be toilet trained
- Be comfortable getting their hands and clothes dirty while learning and playing outdoors
Preschoolers will get wet and muddy. This often requires a change of clothing. To support outdoor play in all weather, we provide all necessary gear—including coveralls and rain suits—to help keep clothing clean (please note this is not a guarantee).
We use outdoor exploration to complement curriculum coursework. Outdoor exploration may include visits to the woods, prairie, ponds, and river.
While we take every precaution to keep your child safe, occasional minor scrapes, scratches, bumps, and bruises may still happen as part of active outdoor play.
Guiding Principles
• Encourage curiosity, exploration and discovery of the natural world
• Facilitate child-initiated learning
• Motivate physical activity
• Facilitate social interaction between and among children
• Provide opportunities for children to develop respectful behavior based on their own experiences in nature
• Provide opportunities for children to practice decision making, testing their limits, and becoming confident in the outdoors
Philosophy
We’ll spend as much time as possible outside exploring the forests, prairies, ponds, and other natural areas at Eagle Bluff. Outdoor experiences complement lessons that are often guided by the interests of the students and seasonal opportunities.
Students will also interact with Eagle Bluff’s captive wildlife such as various reptiles and birds of prey to instill a respect and appreciation for animals.
Why Nature Preschool?
Years of research and studies have been conducted on the benefits of nature-based early childhood education, showing that such programming:
Supports creativity and problem solving
Play in nature is especially important for developing capacities for creativity, problem-solving, and intellectual development (Kellert, 2005).
Enhances cognitive abilities
Proximity to, views of, and daily exposure to natural settings increases children’s ability to focus and enhances cognitive abilities (Wells, 2000).
Increases physical activity
Children who experience school grounds with diverse natural settings are more physically active, more aware of nutrition, more civil to one another, and more creative (Bell and Dyment, 2006).
Improves social relations
Children will be smarter, better able to get along with others, healthier and happier when they have regular opportunities for free and unstructured play in the out-of-doors (Burdette and Whitaker, 2005).
Supports multiple development domains
Nature is important to children’s development in every major way—intellectually, emotionally, socially, spiritually and physically (Kellert, 2005).
Improves self-discipline
Access to green spaces, and even a view of green settings, enhances peace, self control and self-discipline within inner city youth, and particularly in girls (Taylor, Kuo and Sullivan, 2001).
Ready to apply?
Enrollment for Fall 2025 is now open!
Nature Playspace
Our Nature Playspace is designed for young children and uses natural materials such as logs, rocks, and the surrounding landscape and vegetation to stimulate play and learning.
Campus & Facilities
Our 250-acre campus—featuring rivers, prairies, and forests—provides the ideal outdoor classroom where preschoolers can learn through exploration and discovery.
Indoors, our cozy classroom in the Schroeder Building is thoughtfully designed to spark curiosity, support social development, and foster a lifelong love of learning.
Meet our Staff
Our preschool is led by experienced early childhood educators, naturalists, and administrative personnel who are passionate about outdoor learning and child development.
