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We’ll meet one of the Heard’s live animal ambassadors each week and take a nature hike to explore different habitats, from wetlands and forests to prairie and ponds. We’ll also prowl through museum exhibits, participate in hands-on science activities, and more! Spots are limited.

Encourage your preschooler's love of nature!
Preschoolers will have the opportunity to explore all that the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary has to offer. In each class, your child will be engaged in hands-on learning experiences that promote a connection to nature.

Preschool programs have been an integral part of the museum’s mission since 1974. This informal science program introduces your child to the natural world through nature walks and hands-on science activities that foster cooperation with others, language development, and creative play.

Preschool Nature Explorers is appropriate for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds. We use the age of students on September 1 for placement for each academic year. 

Please see the information below on prerequisites for all participating children.

Our Preschool Program

Preschool Nature Explorers will spend the school year learning  about the world around us. Each week we’ll meet one of the Heard’s live animal ambassadors and take a nature hike to explore different habitats from wetlands and forests to prairie and ponds.  We’ll also prowl through museum exhibits, participate in hands-on science activities, sing songs, listen to stories, and play nature themed-games! We’ll talk about our responsibility to nature and what we can do to the help the plants and animals around us.

Fall 2024 Semester
We’ll focus on habitats and ecosystems. We’ll learn how animals that are awake at night can live in the dark. We’ll dig into dinosaurs and fossils. We’ll watch as summer changes to fall and heads towards winter.

Spring 2025 Semester
We’ll discover more about the wide variety of animals that live on our planet and what makes each one unique. We’ll also observe nature wake up from its winter slumber as it blossoms into spring.

Tuition

Per semester: 26 hour program/13 weeks

Non-Members: $240*

Members: $216

Schedule

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, OR Friday from 9:30am – 11:30am

Fall Dates

Meet the Teacher – week of September 10
Classes Start – week of September 17
No class the week of November 25 (Thanksgiving)
Classes End – week of December 10
Spring Dates

Meet the Teacher – week of January 14
Classes Start – week of January 21
No classes the week of March 17 (spring break)
Classes End – April 15
Reservations