Call or text (302) 461-7474 Savanna@newarknatureschool.org 292 W Main St, Newark, DE 19711
Now Open! Call or text anytime. We’ll get back to you ASAP.
Sunlit, open classroom with skylights at Newark Nature School, a nature-based daycare and pre-K in Newark, DE
Now Open! Spots Available

A nature-based school for Newark’s littlest learners.

Right on West Main, between the Newark Country Club and Newark First Presbyterian church, our doors are now open to 80 children from 12 weeks through pre-K. Come grow with us.

Join the Waitlist Call Us · (302) 461-7474

Spots are available now. Our waitlist is how we get to know your family. Want a tour? Call us or join the waitlist and we’ll be in touch to set one up.

Call or text (302) 461-7474 anytime. If we miss you, leave a voicemail and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

Spots Available 12 wks – 5 yrs Downtown Newark, DE Discounts starting at 10% No enrollment fees in 2026
Newark Nature School Now Open flyer: daycare at 292 W. Main Street, Newark, DE 19711, (302) 461-7474

Download the flyer (PDF)

Now Open

We’re open, with spots available!

Looking for a safe, nurturing daycare in Newark, DE for your little one? We have spots available now for infants through pre-K. Reach out today and Savanna will walk you through availability, tuition, and a tour.

  • Experienced staff
  • Stimulating outdoor play
  • Secure facilities
  • Enhanced lesson plans

292 W. Main Street, Newark, DE 19711 · (302) 461-7474

Join the Waitlist
80
Children at Capacity
5
Age-Specific Classrooms
12 wk
Earliest Start
10%
Discounts starting at
Why Newark Nature School

Why families choose us

Nature every day

A huge open field under an old beech tree, sand and water tables, a children’s garden, and a little library, all on our own grounds.

Real curriculum, child-led learning

The Brightwheel Experience Curriculum in every room, taught through the Reggio Emilia approach: kids explore, ask questions, and learn by doing.

Whole foods, made on-site

Breakfast and afternoon snack come out of our kitchen with real ingredients, including produce from our garden when it’s in season.

See their day in the app

Photos, milestones, and meals shared through the Brightwheel app, so you’re never wondering how the day went.

Assessments & conferences

A week-one developmental baseline for every new child and one-on-one parent-teacher conferences every six months.

Small and locally owned

One location, one director, one phone number. We’re a family of working parents, and we run the school we’d want for our own kids.

Our promise to your family

A part of your child's day, and a part of Newark.

We’re a local family running a local school. We want to be part of your child’s growth, and we want to be a place Newark is proud to have on Main Street.

We actually talk to you
Our teachers and director say hi at drop-off and tell you how the day went at pickup. Nobody here hands you a backpack and walks away.
Clean kids at pickup
When you pick up your child, they’ll be clean. Hands and face washed, nose wiped, and changed if their clothes got messy.
Babies don’t sit in a bouncer all day
Our babies get held, played with, and moved around. They get tummy time, floor time, and walks outside.
You know exactly who to talk to
Savanna owns the school and she’s here every day. If something’s not right, tell her and we’ll fix it ASAP.

Why we started Newark Nature School

Programs by age

Newark Nature School programs by age band

Five age-based rooms, each running its own Brightwheel track with a new nature theme every week. Tap a room to see photos and what a day looks like. Tuition varies by program. Ask us for the current rate sheet.

Infant room with cribs and a book display at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Infants · 12 wks – 12 mo

Feeding and nap rhythms that follow your baby, daily reading and music, sensory play, and lots of one-on-one talking.

See the room
Toddler classroom (1s Room) at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Toddlers · 12 – 24 mo

Early language, finger paints, music circles, story time, and gross-motor play. First words and first steps shared in the app.

See the room
Two-year-olds classroom at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Two-Year-Olds · 24 – 36 mo

Vocabulary, colors and shapes, blocks, dramatic play, and first steps toward independence, plus potty-training support.

See the room
3s Room preschool classroom at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

3s Room · 3 yrs

Letter and sound recognition, number sense, beginning writing, science, art, and music, all tied to the week’s nature theme.

See the room
4s Room pre-K classroom at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

4s Room · 4 – 5 yrs

Reading readiness, number sense to 20, beginning writing, and a full portfolio of work to bring to kindergarten.

See the room
Open play field under an old beech tree at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Outside the Classroom

Our field under the old beech, sand and water tables, rocking boats, the children’s garden, and our little library.

See the room
Getting started

How enrollment works

1

Join the waitlist

A short form with your child’s birthday and the start date you’re hoping for. We have spots available now.

2

Hear from Savanna

She’ll call during the days and time you pick on the form, with the rate sheet and any discounts that apply.

3

Take a tour

See the classrooms, the field under the beech, and the garden, and meet the people who’ll care for your child.

4

Save your spot

Pick your start date and we’ll get your child’s room ready.

Join the Waitlist
Family Connection

Stay close to your child’s day.

A great daycare is more than a drop-off. We host center events, themed classroom parties, and post a monthly calendar so families always know what’s happening at school.

Center events

Fall festival, winter recital, art gallery museum night, make-and-take science night, and summer movie nights.

Themed classroom parties

Holiday and seasonal celebrations parents and children take part in together, right in the room.

Monthly calendar

Posted outside our front door and sent home each month: classroom themes, dress-up days, and special events.

UD Faculty & Staff Discount

Working at the University of Delaware? You’re a neighbor. We offer 10% off weekly tuition for verified UD employees - applied automatically once you send us a quick note.

See all discounts
Part of the neighborhood

We’re proud to be a Townie

Our front door opens onto West Main Street. Our backyard is shaded by trees the Newark Country Club has tended for over a century, and First Presbyterian’s playground is a short stroll away. We’re planning family date nights, discounts at Main Street shops, community events on our lawn, and visits from local first responders so the kids know a friendly face under the uniform.

Open play field under an old beech tree at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE
Our play field under the beech
Children’s vegetable garden at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE
The children’s garden
Little library book box outside the garden at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE
Our little library

City of Newark

newarkde.gov

Newark Country Club

Our neighbor since 1922. The oaks behind their fairways shade our morning walks.

newarkcc.com

First Presbyterian Church

firstpresnewark.org
Join the team

We’re growing our team.

We’re open and growing our team. If you love working with kids and want to be part of something small and local, send us your resume. Savanna reads every one.

Full-time Teacher

Lead a classroom. Early-childhood experience or the right energy and willingness to learn.

Apply

Part-time Teacher

Mornings, afternoons, or a few days a week. Great fit for retired educators or grad students.

Apply

Intern

Education or child-development students looking for hours toward their program. We coordinate with your school.

Apply

Volunteer

Special events, classroom helpers, parent committee. A few hours a month or a few hours a week.

Apply

Employee benefits at Newark Nature School

$150 per week flat-rate childcare for staff with their own kids enrolled, and up to 3 weeks paid vacation. CPR and First Aid certification on us.

Apply now
Questions

Frequently asked questions

Children from 12 weeks old through pre-K, until they head off to kindergarten. We have five age-based rooms: infants, toddlers, two-year-olds, the 3s Room, and the 4s Room.

Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. We’re closed weekends and federal holidays, and our calendar follows UD’s observed holiday schedule.

Yes! We’re now open at 292 W Main St in Newark, DE, Monday through Friday, 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, and we have spots available. Call (302) 461-7474 or join the waitlist to check availability and schedule a tour.

Tuition varies by age group. Join the waitlist, or call or text us, and Savanna will send the current rate sheet, usually within a business day. We’re waiving all waitlist and enrollment fees through December 31, 2026, and our tuition rates won’t go up until 2028.

Yes. We offer a 10% community partner discount for UD faculty and staff and other local employers and organizations, a 10% sibling discount, and we work with Delaware’s Purchase of Care subsidy.

Breakfast and afternoon snack are made on-site with whole, minimally processed ingredients. Lunch is packed from home. Our kitchen is allergen-aware, so let us know about any allergies.

We share photos, milestones, and meals through the Brightwheel app throughout the day. You’ll also get a monthly calendar and parent-teacher conferences twice a year.

Yes! Call us at (302) 461-7474 or join the waitlist and we’ll reach out to set up a visit.

Yes. Call or text (302) 461-7474 anytime. If we miss your call, leave a voicemail and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Yes. A lot of our families are coming from other centers. Tell us when you’d like to start and we’ll work around the notice you have to give your current daycare. Comparing Newark daycares has a checklist of questions worth asking on any tour.
Find us

292 W Main St, Newark, DE 19711

Steps from the heart of downtown Newark, with easy access from I-95, Rte 896, and Rte 273. Plenty of safe drop-off space along West Main.

  • 5 min from UD’s STAR Campus
  • 12 min from Pike Creek, 15 from Hockessin
  • 15 min from Bear & Glasgow
  • 20 min from Elkton, MD
Directions & hours
Talk to Savanna

Schedule a tour today.

We have spots open now. Call, email, or join the waitlist and we'll set up a time for you to come see the rooms and meet the teachers.

Call
(302) 461-7474

Goes right to Savanna’s desk. If she’s with the kids, leave a voicemail and she’ll call you back.
Text
(302) 461-7474

Text a quick question anytime, day or night. We’ll text you back as soon as we can.
Join the waitlist
Spots available

Quick form. Tell us the best days and time to reach you and Savanna will call you then.

No fees to join or enroll through 2026, and our rates won’t go up until 2028.