Nature Preschool - Our Teaching Philosophy

At the Nature Preschool, we believe that nature is an integral part of early learning, and the natural world is a foundation of children’s development in math, language and literacy, science, and creativity. We not only have our indoor classroom, but we have the unique outdoor spaces of the Minnesota Zoo to support children’s learning and further their curiosity. We also seek to help children develop empathy and value the natural world, their peers, and themselves.

We believe that the best way for young children to learn and grow is through play-based, child-driven exploration of the world around them. Our curriculum takes an open-ended approach to learning and our teachers plan lessons around children’s interests and developmental needs. Our teachers bring knowledge of both early development and environmental education to support our students’ needs in the classroom, and outdoors in nature.

The mission of the Minnesota Zoo is to connect people, animals, and the natural world to save wildlife. This philosophy is built into our teaching at the Nature Preschool: our mission is to connect children with the natural world to build lifelong learning and skills.