Little Gnomes Nature School

Little Gnomes Nature School is a fully outdoor preschool and kindergarten program for children ages 3-6 years. The school day includes imaginative play time, invitations to craft or work on projects, circle time, snack with tea, adventuring around the park, playing, walking, activities, a small lunch from home, and an oral story that often includes a puppet show. The program runs Monday through Thursday, 9am to 1pm, September through June, and it also offers three-day and four-day options.

Programs

• Fully outdoor preschool and kindergarten program — children ages 3-6 years · Monday through Thursday, 9am to 1pm, September through June
• Three-day option — multi-age kindergarten and preschool · Monday through Thursday, 9am to 1pm
• Four-day option — multi-age kindergarten and preschool · Monday through Thursday, 9am to 1pm
• Summer Camps — current year's Summer Camps

At a glance

• Ages: 3–6 years old
• General schedule: Class is 9am to 1pm, Monday through Thursday, September through June. The school year is held entirely outdoors throughout the school year at Lithia Park. Our school days: 9-10 imaginative play time and invitations to craft or work on projects; 10 circle time; 10:30 snack with tea; 11-12 adventuring around the park, playing, walking and activities; 12 small lunch from home; 12:45 oral story that often includes a puppet show.

About the provider

The program blends the forest kindergarten model with Waldorf philosophy. It is held entirely outdoors at Lithia Park, with field trips to other parks, forests and farms. Seasonal celebrations and parent evenings are offered, vacations generally follow the Siskiyou School Calendar, and the school works with the city's Parks and Recreation. Children bring a small lunch from home, the school provides a healthy snack with tea, and families can use the school's gear library.

The program blends the forest kindergarten model with Waldorf philosophy. It is held entirely outdoors at Lithia Park, with field trips to other parks, forests and farms. Seasonal celebrations and parent evenings are offered. Vacations generally follow the Siskiyou School Calendar. The school works with the city's Parks and Recreation. Most days are spent in the forests and riparian areas of Lithia Park, and other nearby parks, trails and farms are utilized as well.

What families say

“Natural play strengthens children's self confidence and arouses their senses -their awareness in the world and all that moves in it, seen or unseen.” — Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods

Last updated October 14, 2026.