Our mission at NOLA Nature School is to provide all children and families with an educational opportunity that respects the place we live and follows the interest of the students while supporting all domains of a child’s development and encouraging children to develop a connection to and concern for our natural world. With a firm belief that nature provides ample resources through which children can grow, develop, and learn, NOLA Nature School integrates the philosophy of Reggio Emilia, anti bias education and the Project Approach into a uniquely New Orleanian place-based education.

Nature School (Pre-k and Kindergarten)

Full day school for children from age three through five years old. Our immersive experiences are centered in play and foster connectedness to peers and to the natural world.

Saturdays in the Park

Learn More

We invite you to learn more about NOLA Nature School. Learn about our curriculum, guiding principles, and meet the team of educators behind this exciting program. 

OUR STORY

NOLA NATURE SCHOOL BEGAN WheN 

Clare Loughran was asked to conceptualize a nature preschool program as part of her master’s degree in early childhood. After much groundwork, NOLA Nature School began operations in January of 2017 with the goal of fostering children’s connection to and love of the natural world. One of the first programs of its kind both in the state of Louisiana and the Deep South as a whole, NOLA Nature School is rooted in the philosophy that children are competent and capable constructors of their learning experience and that nature provides a plethora of rich materials with which to do this. As we have continued to grow, our program has developed past preschool into an elementary program up to 4th grade. We saw a need for many of our families to create an alternative learning environment for our students.

Our Spaces

Between Forest and Nest:
Letting Learning Unfold, Naturally. 

At NOLA Nature School, our foremost classrooms are the natural spaces all across the city where nature weaves its way into our urban landscape. Depending on the day, we may find ourselves on wooded trails climbing trees, exploring a field of flowers, watching birds soar across and turtles swim in the water—or even gasp as we observe alligators basking in the afternoon sun. Our school building—The Nest—is our “Forest in the City”. It is here where we bookend our week, connecting our time in wilder spaces with opportunities to reflect, garden, harvest, cook, and above all, play, all together as a school community.

Applying to NOLA Nature School

Admissions for 2024-2025 will begin in January.

Please see our application section for more information on the application process.