Westbrook Nature School

About this program

Westbrook Nature School is a nature-based preschool and kindergarten located on seven acres of meadows, woods, and streams in West Redding, Connecticut. The school's primary mission centers on connecting young children with the beauty and rhythms of nature, bringing joy and vitality to their educational experience. Unlike traditional indoor preschools, Westbrook provides an alternative educational approach by allowing children the freedom to learn through direct experience of the natural world. The school's philosophy emphasizes that children thrive when given the opportunity to learn and develop in the environment they are naturally made for. Through deepening experiences and kinship with nature—enlivened by song, poetry, dance, and storytelling—teachers guide children toward resilience, balance, and social growth. Westbrook operates as a non-profit organization and sees itself as a vital component in ensuring the fundamental right of everyone to experience the natural world as part of their education, fostering stewardship of the earth.