Mission & Purpose

Nature-based educators Keara Savage & Charlotte Olson will be opening a new nature preschool this upcoming summer (2026) and school year (2026-2027). We wish to open this program because we’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is for children to learn and grow outdoors. When kids spend time in nature, they aren’t just learning academically, they’re building confidence, relationships, creativity, and a sense of belonging in the world around them. This kind of learning supports the whole child in ways that feel deeply natural and developmentally right.

Paul Louv describes this beautifully in Last Child in the Woods, where he talks about how children’s growing distance from nature can affect their attention, resilience, and overall well-being. Bringing learning into natural spaces helps reconnect children to the world around them and supports curiosity, care, and joy — things we see every day when kids are given the time and space to be outside.

“Children live through their senses. Sensory experiences link the child's exterior world with their interior, hidden, affective world. Since the natural environment is the principal source of sensory stimulation, freedom to explore and play with the outdoor environment through the senses in their own space and time is essential for healthy development of an interior life... This type of self-activated, autonomous interaction is what we call free play. Individual children test themselves by interacting with their environment, activating their potential and reconstructing human culture. The content of the environment is a critical factor in this process. A rich, open environment will continuously present alternative choices for creative engagement. A rigid, bland environment will limit healthy growth and development of the individual or the group.”

RICHARD LOUV | LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS