Nature Casa

Our program creates an environment that nourishes a child’s deep sense of wonder, joy, and imagination. Children will spend a generous amount of time outside every day, in all weather, developing a deep relationship with our earth and its subtle seasonal rhythms. Spending more time in nature balances overstimulation, and children tend to practice more harmonious play while outside.

Free play is the work of childhood; creative exploration with peers lays the groundwork for academic excellence in later years. Materials like wooden logs, pinecones, and stones all nourish a child’s imagination, helping to cultivate a flexibility in thinking that lends itself to creative problem-solving in the future.

Young children learn primarily through imitation. Knowing this, the teachers foster many opportunities for children to join in on little tasks that become exciting team projects, such as raking leaves, tending to the garden, folding laundry, and modelling good manners.

As part of our program, we pair healthy food with healthy activities. Snack time is an integral portion of the day, promoting wholesome and nourishing grains that provide energy for the children’s brains and bodies to learn. By following a weekly menu, we help provide children with consistent rhythm.

A selection of grains, such as rice, millet, oats, spelt, and barley, is offered, as well as fresh bread and soup. Children bring in fresh fruit or vegetables each day to share with the class as part of our daily snacks.

All of our grains are organic and sourced through Grain Pro.

In 2022, we added a newly renovated indoor space for children to explore and enjoy. In this space, the teachers have carefully curated each corner to offer opportunities for discovery, learning, role-play, and creative endeavours.

At What Age Can I Enrol My Child?

This is a mixed-aged program. For 2024-2025, the school will be open to children aged 30 months by September 1st, 2024, up to and including children 6 years old.

This structure allows children to thrive in various ways. Older children benefit from providing guidance to their younger counterparts, learning to be helpful and nurturing others’ abilities, while younger children benefit from their older peers through observation and emulation.

We are pleased to announce that, among other exciting changes to come, we will open up a second room.

What Program Options Are Offered?

For 2024-2025, we are offering Full-Time programs.

Full-Time:
8:30/8:45 a.m. to 3:00/3:15 p.m., Monday to Friday
day
After-Care Program:
Available after school until 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday

What Is the Tuition for the Nature Casa Program?

(This info relates to the 2024-2025 school year and is subject to change for future school years.)

Payments are made in 10 monthly increments from Sept. 2024 to June 2025.

Full-Time tuition, Ages 44months or older: $1,3250/month ($13,250 total)
Full-Time tuition, Ages younger than 44 months: $1445/month ($14,450 total) – includes delicious daily lunches

*Children 44 months or older have the option to include a nutritious daily lunch, tuition, $1445/month


After-Care Program: 5 days: $250/month
Occasional After-Care: $20/day

(There is a non-refundable registration fee of $250.)

Acceptance into the program is based on a first-come basis, with the applicant having toured the school and submitted a completed registration form and the registration fee.

What Are the Benefits of the Nature Casa Program? 

Children engage in circle time to sing songs and recite poems that strengthen their memory and vocabulary.

Abundant unstructured play time is provided for children to exercise their creative muscles and explore different facets of play.

Storytelling and puppet plays are regularly incorporated to expand children’s imaginative capacities.     

Water-colour painting and drawing add new dimensions to children’s artistic senses.     

Children enjoy creative fine-motor craft projects with natural materials like wool and beeswax.

A love of movement and liveliness is fostered through regular nature walks and other gross-motor activities, such as obstacle courses and tobogganing.

Children learn habits regarding proper nutrition, as healthy snacks become part of their daily and weekly routine to keep their bodies and brains fueled for learning and play.