Forest Preschool
F orest Preschool is an exploratory, nature and play-based program with an indoor classroom that empowers children to be active in their own learning while connecting to one another and the natural world.
Our program supports the development of the whole child, sparks curiosity and a sense of wonder, and instills a love of learning and connection to place. At the end of each day, parents and caregivers are met by children who have been making sense of their world by delightfully following their curiosity in natural spaces using eager hands, wide eyes, and listening ears.
We are Vermont’s first licensed Forest Preschool embedded in a nature center. Our program qualifies for Vermont’s Act 166 Universal Pre-kindergarten tuition. NBNC's Forest Preschool is a 4-star program with Vermont STARS.
Forest Preschool Registration
Interested in your child attending Forest Preschool? The waitlist for 2023-2024 is full. Please use the buttons above to join the waitlists for 2024 and beyond. Please contact our director, Arianna Dayharsh (arianna@
Forest Preschool is for students between 3 and 5 years old.
Forest Preschool Hours:
8:45-3:45 Monday - Thursday
8:45-12:45 Friday
Aftercare is available for the 2022-2023 school year, and runs until 5:30 each day.
2 days/week: $540/month
2.5 days/week: $695/month
3 days/week: $790/month
3.5 days/week $940/month
4 days/week: $1026/month
4.5 days/week: $1165/month
Our Forest Preschool qualifies for Act 166 Universal Pre-K funding.
Other financial aid may be available.
More information about 2022-2023 tuition
Your initial $350 deposit is non-refundable after May 1st. This is a security deposit that will be held in case of withdrawal from the program, and will be applied towards the final installment(s) of the FPS tuition at the end of the school year.
If you choose to withdraw your child from this program, you must notify us in writing of your intent to withdraw at least 30 days prior to your intended withdrawal date. You will be responsible for up to 2 full months of tuition following this withdrawal date, or until your child’s space is filled from our wait list (whichever comes first). Your $350 deposit will be applied towards any tuition owed post-withdrawal. We will do our best to promptly fill your child’s space in our program and provide a partial refund, but this cannot be guaranteed.
Please note that it is very difficult for us to accommodate requests to change days. Withdrawals resulting from requests that cannot be accommodated will be treated as any other withdrawal from the program.
COVID-19 Cancellations: NBNC aims to be as safe and flexible as possible in navigating the continuing pandemic. In the event that NBNC Forest Preschool needs to suspend the school year as a result of COVID-19, NBNC will revise our tuition policies based on the circumstances at the time. Brief closures related to staff or student health and safety may or may not affect tuition.
COVID-19
The health and safety of our staff, students, and families is our top priority. NBNC Forest Preschool will be following the evolving CDC and VT Heath Department, and VT Agency of Education guidelines around mask wearing and social distancing for children of this age group. Please visit our COVID-19 page for more information.
"“By the age of five, I believed I was a child born of sun-lit Earth and deep blue sky.
When I looked at my skin, I saw the color of dry land in Southern California and the Southwest.
And when I looked at my veins, it seemed that sky flowed in them. I believed I was made of sky and of land.
That was what anchored the child-me.”
— Lauret Savoy
713 Elm Street
Montpelier, Vermont 05602
(802) 229-6206
Hours: Center Open Monday-Friday 9-4
Trails Open 24/7
