The Nest: Nature education, today

“Our work is about more than just getting kids outside; we want to nurture their relationship with the world.”

- Alyssa Meeks Director, The Nest Nature School

Nature-based education is a quickly growing philosophy across the country and flourishing right here in the state of Texas.

A 2022 survey showed approximately 800 nature-based preschools in the country; there were less than 10 reported in 2010. The Nest Nature School is at the forefront of this new movement into the outdoors, and we aim to be an example of what can be accomplished when schools break out of their four walls.

Since our start in 2016, the main focus of The Nest has been to embrace nature around us and allow it to spark the students’ curiosity and desire to learn. Following national trends, The Nest opened to a full capacity of 90 students in the fall of 2022 and has been gaining steady traction ever since.

At The Nest, nature is the heart of our curriculum. Our work is about more than just getting kids outside — we want to nurture their relationship with the world.

When children learn while immersed in nature, it sparks a passion in them and grows their connection to and love of the world around them. Hands-on experiences promote a deeper understanding and lead to a lifelong desire to learn more.

Before diving into all the many benefits of this approach, let’s define the term “nature-based education.” We describe it as spending over 70% of the school day outdoors and embracing nature inside, outside and beyond.

When students need to be indoors for safety, our school focuses on a seamless transition to continue our philosophy by bringing elements of nature inside. We pride ourselves on not simply being outside but truly embracing nature as a third teacher. Focusing on lessons from nature instills a passion in not only our students but their families, as well.

Allowing children to spend the majority of their time outside has benefits far beyond academics. Nature-based learning has been proven to benefit brain development, communication, social-emotional development, emotional resilience, self-regulation and executive function, while also reducing stress levels and promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. These skills will, in turn, help their academic success as they grow beyond our school.

The Nest provides an environment that encourages children to use their imagination and express creativity. When children are given the opportunity to create their own games and ways of play it promotes communication among peers.

Developing communication and social skills at a young age will prepare our students for elementary school and handling conflict with classmates, teachers and families. Communication skills lead to improved problem-solving and critical thinking, giving our students an advantage as they are faced with more rigorous academics in elementary school. Risky play is a major aspect of nature-based education and fully embedded in our approach. This form of play is about allowing children to take calculated risks in a supervised setting.

Teachers assess possible hazards and let children move at their own pace and confidence level. Engaging in risky play allows children to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills while increasing their self-esteem and confidence.

Allowing children to take risks in a controlled environment at a young age will enable them to differentiate between risks and hazards, and work through risky situations they will experience for the rest of their lives.

The Nest continues to stay on top of the most recent data and studies regarding nature-based learning to remain one of the premiere naturebased preschools in the state. We believe this philosophy is the most developmentally appropriate for children and the passion for outdoor education shines through in our staff.

The Nest is extremely active in the nature-based education world and hopes to be a beacon for others looking to move towards this path.

Visit cibolo.org/calendar to view all upcoming events, programs, and workshops at The Cibolo.