Programs & Tuition | Newark Nature School

Programs by age band

Early literacy, math, science, social-emotional, art, and music, written for each age group.

Infant room with cribs, a play table, and a book display at Newark Nature School daycare in Newark, DE

Infant Room

12 wks – 12 mo · Brightwheel infant track

We follow your baby’s own rhythm for feeding, naps, and diapering rather than a schedule on the wall: bottles warmed to order, breastmilk or formula, whichever you send. In between it’s quiet reading, music, sensory play, and lots of one-on-one talking, with stroller walks outside when the weather’s nice.

Infant care in Newark

Toddler classroom (1s Room) with a learning shelf and rug at Newark Nature School, a daycare and pre-K in Newark, DE

Toddler classroom (1s Room) at Newark Nature School, a daycare and pre-K in Newark, DE

Toddler Room

12 – 24 mo · Brightwheel toddler track

Early language modeling, finger paints, music circles, story time, and gross-motor play. First words, first steps, first songs, all tracked in the Brightwheel app and shared with you in real time.

Toddler daycare in Newark

Two-year-olds classroom with child-size tables at Newark Nature School in Newark, DE

Circle time rug in the two-year-olds room at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Two-Year-Olds

24 – 36 mo · Brightwheel 2-yr track

We work on vocabulary, colors and shapes, blocks, dramatic play, and the first steps toward independence: dressing, cleanup, and using words instead of pointing. Story time gets longer and the questions get better. If your family’s working on potty training, we’re right there with whatever routine you’re using at home.

Toddlers & twos in Newark

3s Room preschool classroom with tables and learning centers at Newark Nature School in Newark, DE

3s Room

3 yrs · Brightwheel preschool track

Letter and sound recognition, number sense, beginning writing, science investigations, art, and music, all tied to that week’s nature theme. This room also takes part in our community events and visits from local first responders.

Preschool in Newark

4s Room

4 – 5 yrs · Brightwheel pre-K track

Reading readiness, sound-letter mapping, number sense to 20, beginning writing, and the social skills to walk confidently into Newark Charter, Christina School District, Red Clay School District, Colonial School District, or Cecil County kindergartens. By graduation, you’ll have a full portfolio of their work to bring to kindergarten registration.

Pre-K in Newark

What’s included

Whole-foods breakfast and afternoon snack prepared on-site with real, minimally processed ingredients, including produce from our own garden when it’s in season. Lunch is family-packed. Seasonal menus, allergen-aware kitchen. All Brightwheel curriculum supplies and a daily app feed of your child’s photos, milestones, and meals.

Not sure which room fits your child, or whether it has an opening? Text us or call (302) 461-7474 and Savanna will tell you.

Outside the classroom

Every room gets time outdoors on our own grounds on West Main Street.

Open play field shaded by a large old beech tree, with picnic tables, at Newark Nature School in Newark, DE

The Field Under the Beech

All ages · Daily outdoor time

Our children get a huge open field to explore, anchored by a big old beech tree. Its wide canopy shades the grass and picnic tables, so there’s always a cool spot for outdoor lessons, snack time, or story time on a warm day.

Covered sand table and water table on the play field at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Sand & Water Play

Hands-on · Dig, pour, splash

A covered sand table and a water table sit side by side on the lawn. Kids dig, scoop, pour, and splash, building fine-motor skills and learning early science like floating, sinking, and how water moves.

Raised vegetable garden beds where children grow plants from seed at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Our Garden

Spring planting · Seed to harvest

Each spring the children grow their own vegetables from seed. They plant seeds indoors, water them, and watch them sprout, then move the seedlings out to the garden. Along the way they learn where food comes from, how plants grow, and how to take care of living things. When the vegetables are ready, some of them end up in our on-site snacks.

Wooden rocking boats and play balls on the grass at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Rocking Boats & Ball Play

Active play · Run, roll, rock

Wooden rocking boats and plenty of balls keep the open field busy. Kids kick, throw, chase, and rock together, building big muscles and learning to take turns.

Shaded lawn under the old beech tree at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

A Shady Place to Rest

Cool down · Under the beech

After running around, the shade under the beech is the perfect spot to catch a breath, grab some water, and cool down before the next adventure.

Sand table, water table, and stepping stones on the grass at Newark Nature School, Newark, DE

Sensory & Balance Play

Explore · Touch, balance, discover

Sensory bins invite little hands to touch and sort, and a path of stepping stones lets kids practice balance and coordination as they hop from one to the next.

Little Library

Just outside the garden · Books for little readers

Right outside the garden sits our little library, a book box on a post stocked with stories for young readers. It’s a cozy reason to slow down, pick out a book, and read together under the trees.

Week-one assessment

Your child’s teacher establishes an age-appropriate developmental baseline in their first week.

Conferences twice a year

One-on-one parent-teacher conferences every six months. We walk through their portfolio and assessment and talk about what’s next.

Monthly calendar

Posted outside the building and sent home each month with classroom themes, dress-up days, and family events.

About tuition

Weekly rates depend on your child’s age, and infants are the highest. Every rate includes breakfast, afternoon snack, curriculum supplies, and the Brightwheel app.

No waitlist or enrollment fees through 2026. Rates locked until 2028.

10% off for UD faculty and staff and our community partner employers
10% sibling discount
We work with Delaware’s Purchase of Care subsidy

Get the rate sheet

Savanna sends it within a business day.

Our Rooms