Our Mission
Creating a space where children feel safe, supported, and empowered as they connect with the natural world.
Our Intention
Guiding each individual child to grow a strong foundation of learning and inquiry through supported social and emotional growth. We aim to develop our students’ empathy and respect for self, others, and our environment through immersion in nature and by exhibiting peaceful conflict resolution and consent basics to our students.
As the sister program to our Brooklyn Nature Days’ nature immersion classes in Prospect Park, Wonderforest offers a nature based education in an urban setting, while also meeting the needs of families who need full day care, with early drop off and extended day options.
Anti-Racism & Land Acknowledgement
Wonderforest is committed to practices of conscious anti-racism and Indigenous land awareness. We work closely with a DEI educator to ensure we are constantly evolving, accountable, and building business practices that support anti-racism and Black nature connection. Our teachers and administration regularly work with The Lenape Center via their Land Awareness workshop. It is important to us that this organization has a connection to the land based on a respect, awareness, and knowledge of the indigenous people that stewarded it before us. This knowledge will be shared with our students in age-appropriate, inquiry-based ways where we let the children ask questions and listen to their ideas.
We Believe That:
Children should be allowed to get messy and dirty, immersing themselves in tactile play and sensory exploration both inside & outside.
Children learn and express themselves in different ways and therefore, should be provided with multiple and varied opportunities to explore and experiment.
Children should be provided with open-ended and natural materials to create and play with.
Children can be trusted to use simple tools with guidance.
Nature play brings forth inquiry, debate, and challenge. The group (children and teachers) is there to support and guide each individual as we learn from one other.
The emotional, physical, social, and developmental benefits of children spending time in nature are vast and document stress relief, self regulation, improved moods, bodily awareness, sensory integration, improved interpersonal skills, increased attention span, creativity and confidence.
Accessibility to Nature
Our tuition ensures fair pay for our teachers and covers the cost of our space, materials, and administrative fees as well as land reparations based on recommendations from The Lenape Center. It also allows us to offer financial aid & sliding scale pricing for families that need it. Tuition assistance is available and eligibility is processed separately from the application process. Your application will be reviewed based on your desire to enroll your child in a preschool that focuses on urban nature immersion and not on your ability to pay. If our program is cost-prohibitive, please reach out to us at enrollment@wonderforestpreschool.com
Wonderforest is Committed to:
Making our own nature based art supplies wherever possible (paints, modeling clay, dyes, etc)
Buying local and buying independent when we do need to purchase supplies (all books come from Terrace Books and Community Books, with whom we have a close partnership)
Using found/recycled materials in our art projects and play areas (cardboard boxes as building units, pebbles as counting practice, repurposed plastic bottles as storage containers)
Composting organic waste and teaching children how the process works and how to facilitate it
Recycling practices
Wonderforest Nature Preschool | 38 Sixth Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11217 | enrollment@wonderforestpreschool.com