Programs & Activities at Boston Nature Center
Nature Preschool at Boston Nature Center
Pathways to Nature Preschool currently has two mixed-age classrooms for 3-5-year-olds; the Busy Bees Class and the Curious Crickets Class. Children must be 3 by September 1 of the school year they’re applying for.
Nature Preschool Goals
The Pathways to Nature Preschool offers an educational and nurturing experience that encourages child-led inquiry. Our goals are to:
- Provide children with a safe environment to grow, learn, and respect people and nature.
- Connect children to nature to develop a lifelong passion for the environment and its stewardship.
- Help children recognize the natural world as part of the urban environment.
Children explore, discover, observe, and experience the natural world using all of their senses while developing an appreciation for nature. Structured and self-directed play nurtures children’s imagination, creativity, and self-esteem.
Download our informational packet to learn more about our teaching philosophy, curriculum, classes, and our commitment to anti-bias teaching.
Classroom & Age Groups
Pathways to Nature Preschool currently offers four classrooms, grouped by age.
Curriculum and Activities
In all classroom communities, we focus on learning and practicing foundational social and emotional skills. These skills include (but are certainly not limited to) turn taking, identifying and regulating emotions, self-care such as dressings, following multi-step directions, and advocating for one’s own needs. As children progress in their learning, these skills begin to evolve into more complex prosocial behavior such as sharing, helping, collaboration, and empathizing.
Students participate in daily nature walks, large and small group discussions, seasonal scavenger hunts, science experiments, creative art projects, and more! They delight in filling bird feeders, wielding sticks splashing in puddles, digging in soil, rolling logs and full body sensory experiences in nature. They are insatiable in their curiosity and will not hesitate to ask the one question that is always on their minds: “Why?”
The curriculum is differentiated based on age and development of students in each class. Teachers continually observe students strengths and hone in on their intetersts. For those ready for an extra challenge teachers prepare writing workshops, guided literacy groups, and math workshops in addition to outdoor exploration.
Schedule
The Pathways to Nature Preschool is year-round, full-day program that runs Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-3:30 pm. The Busy Bees and Curious Crickets classes are 12-month programs, running September through mid August.
For an additional cost of $30 per day, you have the option of enrolling in Extended Day, which runs Monday-Friday, 3:30-6:00 pm. Families must enroll in Extended Day in advance; this is not a drop-in program.
Enrollment
Enrollment is open for the 2026-2027 school year. If you are interested in enrolling for the 2026-2027 school year (start date is September 2026), please fill out the Pathways to Nature Preschool Enrollment Application. You will receive an auto-generated message immediately after completing this online form confirming the receipt of completing the application only.
Priority for enrollment is given to currently enrolled returning children and the younger siblings of children who are currently enrolled and then to our alumni families. Additionally, as we continue toward our goal of making our programs accessible to all, some programs may employ additional prioritization tools/status for underserved communities.
Spaces remaining after current and alum families register are then filled by new families. Students are sorted into classes based on balancing age, schedule, etc. Enrollment is ongoing for both currently enrolled and new families until classes are filled. All families who have children enrolled are required to have a current Mass Audubon family membership or higher by the start of the school year in September 2026.
Each new family will receive an email with their child’s enrollment status. At this time, you will be notified as to whether your child has a space in our program or is on our waitlist. Waitlisted families will be notified if a space becomes available.
If you request after school care through our Extended Day program, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Upon acceptance, a 1-month non-refundable, non-interest-bearing tuition deposit will be collected.
Sliding Scale Tuition
| Total 2025 adjusted gross household income is estimated at: | Busy Bees and Curious Crickets Session: 5 days, Mon-Fri |
|---|---|
| Under $70,000 | $786.00 |
| $70,000-$88,000 | $1,100.00 |
| $89,000-$119,000 | $1,535.00 |
| $120,000-$159,000 | $2,040.00 |
| Over $160,000 | $2,320.00 |
Published monthly rates for 2026-2027 school year.
Accreditation & Safety
The Pathways to Nature Preschool is licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care, and we are following all of their COVID-19 protocols for health and safety. Boston Nature Center is also in compliance with the design standards for building accessibility in 521 CMR (Architectural Access Board).
Contact Information
To learn more or get answers to your questions, please email us or call 617-983-8500.