In New Prague, early learning goes beyond just letters and numbers. Curiosity, exploration, and hands-on discovery are all core parts of New Prague’s nature-based Pre-K. The district’s nature-based program allows 3-year-old to 5-year-old children the opportunity to learn through outdoor play, child-led discovery, and daily experiences in the natural environment. Providing a mixture of indoor and outdoor learning allows children to grow socially, emotionally, and academically before even reaching kindergarten.
Children in the program begin their day in the classroom usually with a short activity and a plan before transitioning outdoors, where they spend about 75% of their time exploring, playing, learning, and more. Although an agenda is introduced, the majority of the outdoor portion is child-led and based on what students notice, wonder about, and become interested in. Something that may grab their attention, such as a pumpkin or a frog, may lead to a valuable conversation and make way for a lesson. Academic skills such as numbers, letters, and early writing are naturally woven into these experiences, allowing students to learn without even realizing.
The program’s outdoor classroom and nature play area are located behind Trojan Stadium. This space includes a circle-shaped gathering area, climbing structures, building zones, and much more. There is also a storage shed built by past high school students, further connecting the program to the rest of the school community. Most days, the pre-schoolers spend the majority of their outdoor time in free play, while other days involve taking walks to different local destinations. These walking field trips can encourage students to notice what they see, hear, and feel around them.
Nature-based learning allows for the pre-schoolers to learn to transition smoothly between routines and adapt to new environments, as plans often change. Through shared play, they practice problem-solving, taking turns, and working cooperatively with peers. The pre-schoolers also encounter risk-taking in nature, such as climbing or balancing; these opportunities help children understand their sense of space, build confidence, and make safe choices. The skills they learn can carry into future classrooms, helping the kids enter kindergarten with a strong sense of independence and self-awareness.
This program runs on the same schedule as the school-year and continues throughout all types of weather. The pre-schoolers go into nature through rain, snow, and any other weather that may occur. A weather chart helps children understand daily conditions and learn how to prepare, and because the children stay active, many hardly notice the weather. The continuous outdoor environment provides a lower-stress setting for many of the kids, supporting both learning and well-being.
Now in its third year, the nature-based Pre-K program has grown significantly. It began with a single class and now has expanded to multiple classes, including a section for 3-year-olds and a class that supports students with varying needs. Enrollment continues to rise, reflecting strong community support. Many families have praised the program, and families with multiple children often return because of the positive experiences older siblings have had.
The success of New Prague’s nature-based Pre-K highlights the power of outdoor learning in early childhood education. By giving young kids the freedom to explore, play, and connect with nature, the program fosters confidence, independence, and curiosity, all skills that will support them past their time in Pre-K.
Written by NPHS Senior, Claire Motz