FAQ
Discover a forest preschool in Virginia Beach, VA, where children develop curiosity, confidence, and creativity through outdoor exploration. Neptune’s Forest creates engaging learning experiences that connect children with nature while supporting early childhood growth through hands-on activities, imaginative play, and meaningful interactions in natural environments.
A forest preschool is an early childhood program where learning takes place outdoors in nature. Instead of classroom walls, children explore forests, trails, lakeshores, and natural spaces. They learn through hands-on play, imagination, movement, and discovery. Forest schools are designed to support whole-child development, encompassing social, emotional, physical, and cognitive aspects.
Nature-based learning supports children’s physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development. Outdoor experiences help children strengthen creativity, observation, confidence, and problem-solving skills while encouraging curiosity and a deeper appreciation for their surroundings.
Forest school is child-led, play-based, and fully outdoors. Instead of sitting at tables or following a rigid schedule, children explore, problem-solve, and create in a natural environment. Teachers guide and support learning through observation and conversation—not worksheets. Outdoor learning encourages independence, confidence, creativity, and strong social-emotional skills.
Forest school teachers guide children through safe outdoor activities that inspire exploration and teamwork. They support learning by creating engaging experiences that help children develop resilience, communication skills, and confidence through meaningful interactions with nature.
Our daily rhythm includes:
While the structure remains predictable, the activities change according to the weather, seasons, and the children’s interests.
We play outside in most weather—rain, wind, cold, and heat—because nature offers rich learning every day. However, we move to our indoor contingency space for:
Yes. With the right gear, children can safely enjoy all kinds of weather. We follow clear temperature guidelines and take breaks for hydration, warmth, shade, and clothing adjustments.
A full Weather Contingency Plan is shared with enrolled families. We follow these general guidelines:
We use the bathrooms near the Lake Lawson/Lake Smith park office. Children are taught hygiene routines, handwashing, and proper use. For indoor contingency days, we use traditional indoor restrooms.
Families provide:
We provide a seasonal gear list to make shopping simple.
Safety is at the core of forest school. Our procedures include:
We teach children to evaluate risks thoughtfully. Teachers supervise closely and model safe behavior while allowing children to test abilities—such as balancing on logs or climbing low branches—within safe limits. Supported risk builds confidence and judgment.
We maintain constant visual and auditory supervision. Children explore within clear boundaries, and staff position themselves strategically so all children remain within sight.
Our ratio is 1:8, with a Lead Teacher, an Assistant Teacher, and a substitute teacher available as needed. This is a lower ratio than traditional preschools and childcare centers, which typically follow a 1:10 ratio.
All staff are CPR/First Aid certified. We carry first-aid supplies and communication devices and have clear emergency procedures for injuries, weather changes, or unexpected events. Families are notified promptly when needed.
Please list all allergies on your waitlist and enrollment forms. We create individualized safety plans for children with food, environmental, or insect allergies, and staff are trained to administer EpiPens if needed.
Outdoor learning is beneficial for many sensory-sensitive children. The natural environment reduces overwhelm and supports regulation. We work with families to understand each child’s needs and determine whether the outdoor environment can safely support them.
Yes. We work with families to understand each child’s medical needs and determine whether the outdoor environment can safely support them. We create individualized health plans as needed.
We follow health guidelines for early childhood programs. Children should stay home if they have a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, a contagious illness, or are unable to participate comfortably in outdoor learning.
Yes. Because we operate outdoors without indoor bathrooms on all trails, children must be fully potty-trained before enrollment.
Accidents happen! Staff assist children in changing into dry clothes in a respectful and discreet manner. We kindly request that families send an extra outfit for their child.
These skills emerge naturally through exploration! For example:
Teachers gently guide learning through questions, vocabulary, and invitations to explore.
We use the Virginia Early Learning & Development Standards (VA ELDS) as our framework. These five domains guide our planning and ensure children build strong foundations for school.
Teachers observe children’s interests, scaffold new skills, model curiosity, and create meaningful invitations to explore. We follow the child’s lead while supporting developmental growth.
Yes, through observation-based assessment, not tests or worksheets. We use:
Progress is shared with families throughout the year.
Tuition information can be found on our Enrollment page.
Yes. Families may choose:
Yes. We offer a 5% military discount and a sibling discount for families enrolling more than one child.
Complete the online application on our website. A small processing fee is required at the time of submission. Submitting an application automatically places your child on our waitlist.
Enrollment opens annually in late winter/early spring for the upcoming fall.
We enroll children aged 3–4 who are fully potty-trained.
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m
We operate at Lake Lawson/Lake Smith Natural Area in Virginia Beach, VA.
Families send their children’s snacks and lunches each day. We provide guidelines to help keep food safe outdoors.
We follow a 10-month calendar (September–June), starting the Tuesday after Labor Day and ending on the same day as Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
Yes, we follow VBCPS for major holidays and weather-related closures.
We believe children learn best through play, exploration, and meaningful connection with nature. Our philosophy emphasizes curiosity, independence, social-emotional well-being, and environmental stewardship. Teachers act as guides—supporting children while allowing them to follow their interests.
Forest school is wonderful for many children and offers benefits for a wide range of learning styles. It may not be the best fit for children who are uncomfortable outdoors for extended periods or who need a consistent indoor structure. We’re happy to discuss our approach with families to determine if it’s a good fit.
