Who We Are?


We Are Muddy Puddles!
The preschool was set up in 2020 as an independent preschool and play care center.  After 10 years working in early childhood education, I realized that a traditional preschool setting was not allowing children to grow and develop to their fullest capabilities.  Children need to be outside interacting with nature.  They need to climb on trees to build their sense of competency.  They need to turn over rocks to find worms and bugs.  They need to learn to make birch bark boats and identify tree leaves and see pods.  We found a space with five acres of trees and native plants and plan to develop that in to an outdoor learning center.  We will begin enrolling for the 20-21 preschool year now and offer morning class in our outdoor learning center.

 

Why Nature preschool is needed?

Exposure to nature has been shown to be necessary to our developmental growth, with the knowledge that time in nature is crucial to our wellbeing, you would think that time outdoors would be a regular part of our daily activities.  The average American child is thought to spend 4 to 7 minutes a day in unstructured play outdoors, and over 7 hours a day in front of a screen.

 

A nature-based preschool combines environmental education with early childhood education.  The two main philosophical components are 1) developmentally appropriate (early childhood education) and 2) meaningful outdoor experiences (environmental education). 

 

It is important to differentiate between preschool and childcare, even though both experiences occur during early childhood years.  Early childhood education (ECE) is the teaching of children from birth to eight years of age.  From age 3 this is considered to be the span of preschool.  ECE is an organized, theory-based practice that focuses on the developmental domains: social, emotional, cognitive and physical.  The goal of early childhood education, particularly preschool, is to prepare children to be successful in life.  At Muddy Puddles we want to be your partner is ensuring your child’s success.  Schedule a tour and enroll today.  We offer rolling enrollment if space is available.

 

Programs we offer:

We offer nature preschool in the a.m. from 9-11:30  

Adventure summer camp

Wrap around care and playcare

 

Memberships and Organizations

  • EFRANS Member: Eastern Region Association of Forest & Nature Schools
  • Featured by The Natural Start Alliance
  • Member of The Audubon Society
  • Member of NAAEE: North American Association for Environmental Education
  • NAEYC Member
  • High Scope International member
  • The Outdoor Classroom Project member
  • Nature Explore Participant
  • Growing up WILD curriculum trained
  • Project Learning Tree curriculum trained
  • The Muddy Puddle Teacher trained