Wild Roots is an alternative to preschool as you know it. We operate as an outdoor nature-based program, and our classroom has no walls. Our practices are based both on the high-quality practices of early childhood education and environmental education. We place strong value on the whole child, and children can show up fearlessly and unapologetically themselves.  

Ages: 
Wild Roots operates with a mixed-age class of 3- to 6-year-olds. When children of varying ages interact and play together, the older children elevate the level of play of the younger ones, older children learn to nurture and lead, and younger children are able to engage in and learn from activities more advanced than they could otherwise do. 
 
Class Size and Ratios: 
We maintain a class size of 16 students and maintain a 1:6 ratio. All children are their own unique person with different interests and needs—maintaining low ratios allows our teachers the time to treat them as such. 
 
Our Location: 
Base Camp: 6005 Ron King Trail, Littleton, 80125

NOTE: If your mapping system tries to take you to the Backcountry Outdoor Center via Grigs Road, re-route your map so that you enter from Santa Fe. 

Research suggests that nature enhances children’s development, including: 

• Promoting social and emotional development
• Enhancing communication skills
• Improving academic performance
• Providing mental health benefits
• Promoting physical activity 

Conventional teaching methods fail to understand the nature and purpose of education. Children are not hollow vessels waiting to be shaped by a teacher but are unique human beings deserving of a holistic education that caters for all of their needs. Children learn through play and learn when they are allowed to move their bodies and focus on what interests them. At Wild Roots, children can show up fearlessly and unapologetically themselves. 

Our Pedagogical approach is a multi-faceted one that has been inspired by a variety of philosophers, early childhood educational theorists, and educators regarding how children develop and learn best: through play. Our flexible outdoor learning environment allows for an emergent curriculum, with teachers acting as guides, noticing each child’s observations and interests. Teachers are responsive to the needs and interests of each child, rather than following a rigid curriculum. 

We are committed to these principles:

• Children learn through play: children develop the skills they need both for school and life through play
• Children learn best when they are interested in what they are learning: our flexible outdoor environment allows teachers to be responsive to the interests of the children, freeing them to construct knowledge together 
• Children are not hollow vessels waiting to be shaped by a teacher.
• We hold space for the curious, the strong-willed, the expressive, and the free-spirited.
• Nature is the best venue for play: nature is full of loose parts, inspires imaginative play, active play, and problem solving
• Low teacher to child ratios: we always maintain a 1:6 ratio 
• Emphasis on empowering children through positive guidance: we do not use reward systems or punishments 
• Frequent, immersive experiences in nature in a variety of weather builds resilience. 
• Children must spend time in nature in order to develop respect for all living things and a sense of environmental stewardship.
• Today’s children will be tomorrow’s environmental stewards.

Our Goals

• To help each child grow and learn through developmentally appropriate practices
• To prepare each child to succeed both socially and academically
• To foster a love for, and connection to, the natural world

9-9:30 a.m. – Drop off & Play at Landing Pads

Upon arrival, families will prepare children for the day with toileting, sunscreen application, and layering up for the weather, then helping their child plug into play at our landing pads. Landing pads will rotate based on the weekly single-skill and may include things such as sensory tables full of science investigations, water table, mud kitchen, reading tent, art easel, building projects, or play in the fairy forest.  Then we say, “see you soon!” to our caregivers to start our days’ adventures.

9:40-9:50 a.m. – Gathering Circle

At the sound of the drumbeat echoing through the woods, we join together as a community to sing good morning songs, greet our friends, go over the weather, discuss expectations, and talk about the days’ rhythm.

9:50-10:20 a.m. – Snack & Storytime

We take a break to use the potty and wash hands, and head to our morning adventure spot where we fuel up on a snack (brought from home), and read stories related to the weekly single-skill.

10:20 a.m.-12 p.m. — Nature Immersion / Child-Led Play

Perhaps the most important of all, our child-led time spent in nature will look different each day. We set up our classroom with loose parts related to the weekly single-skill, and children get the opportunity to explore and relate with nature on their own terms and to have uninterrupted child-led play in nature. Social-emotional learning, imagination, creativity, and wonder take the reins, and the possibilities are purposefully endless. 

12-12:45 p.m. — Lunch

Children will have the opportunity for an unhurried lunch (brought from home) and time to talk and tell stories with friends.

12:45-1:45 p.m. — Sit Spots & Independent Play

An independent sit spot gives children a chance to rest their minds, still their bodies, and recharge for the afternoon. Depending on the weekly single-skill, children are offered sensory materials, art materials, books, or other independent play options. 

1:45-3 p.m. — Guided Activity 

After sit spots, we use the potty and then transition to our afternoon adventure. Our teachers lead a guided activity related to the weekly single skill, such as an art project, scavenger hunt, science experiment, gardening, or visiting the animals. On Wednesdays, families may opt for their child to participate in Young Musician’s Academy, a fun hands-on, interactive music class. 

3-3:30 p.m. — Afternoon Teatime

We drink tea, eat our afternoon snack (brought from home), sing songs to reflect on the day’s highlights, and to say goodbye to our friends. 

3:30-4 p.m. — Pickup & Play at Landing Pads

Children have the opportunity to revisit our landing pads, which vary based on the weekly single skill: act out a puppet show, swing in the hammock, dig in the construction zone, create in the mud kitchen, or splash in the water table. We rejoin our families with lots of stories to tell about our days’ adventures. 

9-9:30 a.m. – Drop off & Play at Landing Pads

9:30-9:40 a.m. – Gathering Circle

9:40-10 a.m. – Snack & Storytime

10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. — Nature Immersion / Child-Led Play

11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. — Lunch & Teatime

11:50 a.m. – 12 p.m. Pickup

1. Fill out the Registration Application
2. After we receive your registration application, you and your child will be invited to join us for a tour. During your tour you will get to see our Base Camp and various learning spaces, meet with the Director, learn about our child-led approach, ask any questions you have, and allow us to learn more about your family. 
3. If it seems like Wild Roots will be a good fit for your family, and space is available, we will contact you about having a spot for your child. You will have 72 hours to confirm this spot. Upon confirmation, our administrative coordinator will charge the tuition deposit and registration fee in order to secure your child’s spot. If our class is already full, we will reach out to you about adding your child to our interest list at no charge, so that we can reach out to you should a spot open up. 

• A NON-REFUNDABLE tuition deposit of the first month’s tuition is due upon enrollment to secure your child’s spot at Wild Roots.
• A one-time NON-REFUNDABLE registration fee of $200 will be billed upon confirmed enrollment.
• A one-time start up kit fee of $75 will be billed upon confirmed enrollment. The start-up kit fee covers required materials provided by Wild Roots including an afternoon teatime kit, sit spot (rest time) ground blanket and materials, wet bag for soiled clothing, and reflective vest. The start-up kit fee for the half-day class is $50 and excludes the sit spot ground blanket.
• The remainder of tuition is due on the last Friday of each month for the upcoming month.

Our summer-only class for 2025 will operate in two-week units. You are welcome to join us for one session or register for as many as you would like. Weekly-single skills will vary each session and offerings will build upon one another.

Summer Session Dates:

• June 2 - June 13
• June 16 - June 27
• July 7 - July 18
• July 21 - August 1

9:00-9:30 a.m. — Drop off and Play at Landing Pads

Upon arrival, families should prepare their child for the day with toileting, sunscreen application, and layering up for the weather, then helping their child plug into play at our landing pads. Landing pads may include things such as sensory tables full of science investigations, water table, mud kitchen, or sand play. Then we say, “see you soon!” to our caregivers to start our days’ adventures.

9:30-9:50 a.m. — Gathering Circle, Snack, & Storytime

We join together as a community to sing good morning songs, greet our friends, go over the weather, discuss expectations, and talk about the days’ rhythm. Then we fuel up on a snack (brought from home), and read stories related to the weekly single-skill, to set the tone for our day’s explorations.

9:50 a.m.-11:10 a.m. — Nature Immersion / Child-Led Play

Most important of all, our child-led time spent in nature will look different each day. Children get the opportunity to explore and relate with nature on their own terms and to have uninterrupted child-led play in nature. The possibilities are purposefully endless.

11:10 a.m.-11:40 a.m. – Guided Activity

Teachers may choose to lead a guided activity most days, if the flow of the day allows. Other days, nature play may be extended. Guided activities may include visiting the animals, process-based art, a scavenger hunt, or science investigation.

11:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m. – Pickup

We sing songs to reflect on the day’s highlights, and to say goodbye to our friends. We rejoin our families with lost of stories to tell about our day’s adventures. Note: Programming ends at 11:45 a.m. and all children must be picked up no later than 12:00 p.m. 

1. Initial Questions? Email annakate.hein@hrcaonline.org 
2. Register for one or more two-week session of our summer-only class.
3. Fill out all required paperwork on Camp In Touch, to finish reserving your child’s spot. Click the link in the email you receive with your registration receipt to start paperwork. 

Half-Day (9:00am -12:00pm), 5 days/week (Monday - Friday): $585 for a two-week session  

Full payment for each two-week session is due at the time of enrollment.

Please note, there is a non-refundable 10% administrative fee that once enrolled, will not be refunded for any reason. See the cancellation policy below for more information.

Cancellations requested prior to April 1, will be granted a refund minus a non-refundable 10% administrative fee. The 10% administrative fee will not be refunded for any reason. 

Cancellations requested on or after April 1, and more than three weeks (21 days) of the session’s start date will be granted a 50% refund. 

Cancellations made within three weeks (21 days) of the session’s start will not be granted a refund for any reason. 

Transfer requests will be granted up to three weeks (21 days) prior to the start date of your registered session, pending availability. All transfers must be made to another Wild Roots summer session in 2025.

Parents wishing to cancel a child from must provide written notification via email to wildrootsnaturepreschool@hrcaonline.org. You must include your child’s full name, your child’s age, and the dates of the session you wish to cancel, and cancellation reason.