Community Cooperative Nature School

We have loved both the indoor and outdoor (Wasatch Wanderers) classes for our boys; the wanderers program in particular has stolen our hearts. It is so nice to know that our little one is outside learning through exploration, discovery, and curiosity. Ms. Maddy is so knowledgable and warm while still encouraging the kids to be independent outdoors. It's so fun co-oping and being able to see our boys in action and getting to know their classmates. Our 2 and 4 year olds love being outside even in "bad" weather and they both ask to go hiking and explore outside almost every day. I credit so much of this to their time at CCNS. Along with loving the play based classes for our boys, the community CCNS provides is a huge added bonus for the parents. We've met many of our closest family friends through the school and there is a genuine feeling of collaboration and inclusivity among the parents and teachers which spills over to the children as well! Such a gem of a preschool that we feel so fortunate to be a part of.

I am so grateful that we found CCNS. We hadn't planned on starting our kid in school so young, but she was learning faster than I could find resources and begging for more friend time than I could organize. CCNS has been more than just a school experience for us. Being in this group of supportive parents, brilliant teachers, and an executive director who is very patient has been more than I could have hoped for.

Our three year old is thriving at CCNS. She is doing both the on-site preschool as well as the Little Wanderers class, which takes place in nature and on the trails. My husband and I are originally from another (much warmer) state. CCNS has helped our family feel more connected to our beautiful surroundings in SLC. We are delighted to see our daughter play in the snow with no hesitation and stomp in the creeks. She has seen foxes in the wild (on more than one occasion), chased geese, gone sledding, painted the snow, and can even decipher some animal tracks. Her class has explored trails I didn't even know existed in parks our family previously visited. Her teachers, Ms. Alise and Ms. Maddy, are both fantastic. Their interactions with the children spark so much wonder. We appreciate the connection our daughter has with them. It has been incredible to witness the observations the children have made in nature. The co-op element is another reason our family enjoys CCNS. I've always wanted to play a role in our children's education. To me, co-oping is more ideal than being a "room mom" as there isn't the stress of who might get to volunteer and who might be left out. The shared responsibilities also result in less stress. Co-oping offers a great sense of community, and we've had a blast developing friendships with other parents at the monthly socials and events. CCNS provides an experience I don’t think we could find anywhere else.