The staff and the Board of Directors at Woodcock Nature Center are proud to announce the creation of the Natural Worlds Preschool, an intimate 14 child nursery school that makes use of a comprehensive blend of environmental education and traditional play-based preschool.

It combines the theories of Piaget, Place Based Education, and Inquiry Based Learning to bring the natural world into the lives of young children.

With their teachers and classmates, children will discover the wonder in fields, ponds, streams, wetlands and along woodland trails. The curriculum provides stimulating opportunities for learning and growth, while still achieving the goals set forth in the Connecticut Preschool Curricular Framework.

Starting in the fall, Natural Worlds Preschool at Woodcock Nature Center will have the following full school year programs:

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9-1 for 4 year olds

Wednesday and Friday 9-12 for 3 year olds.

All about our wonderful teacher!  Amy Taylor - Preschool Director

Amy, a Redding resident for over 25 years, graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa scholar from Bowdoin College in Maine, where she majored in Russian Studies and Government.  Upon graduation, she moved to Novosibirsk, Russia where she opened a Siberian regional branch of ISAR, a US-based non-profit organization, whose mission was to support grassroots leaders and organizations.  With a focus on the developing environmental movement, ISAR Siberia provided small grants, published a quarterly journal, organized and held regional conferences and training seminars, and supported environmental education for young children.  After five years in Russia, Amy and her family moved back to her native Redding, where for the past eight years she has been active in the schools and community.  Amy has been the director of the Redding St. Patrick’s twos, threes, and fours preschool program for the last two years, and has been teaching there for a total of four years.  Before coming to WNC, she worked a season at Creative Play Preschool in Wilton, and has taught at New Pond Farm Environmental Education Center and Camp Playland, both in Redding.  She is also a soccer and middle school field hockey coach.  At WNC, Amy is the director and head teacher for the preschool’s 3’s and 4’s programs.