Wild Preschool East Houston

Private Wild School Site (Sheldon Area)

11952 Aqueduct Rd, Houston, TX 77044

What is Wild Preschool?

Wild Preschool is a place where childhood stays wild, learning is alive, and your child’s days are spent exploring, imagining, and growing in nature. We are a fully outdoor, all-weather, drop-off preschool program for potty-trained children ages 3 to 5. Our program runs September through May and meets Monday-Thursday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

Why Parents Choose Wild Preschool?

Fully outdoor, all-weather program
Child-led, play-based learning guided by expert nature educators
Low student-to-teacher ratios for safety and connection
Immersive curriculum that builds real-life skills
Daily communication and monthly reports keep you connected
Warm, community-centered environment

Our Daily Rhythm:

What Does a Day Look Like?

We use the same anchoring rhythm each day, which gives children comfort and helps them regulate, even though the details of each day change with the seasons, the weather, and the children’s interests.

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Good Morning Song
We begin each day by gathering together with a welcoming song that sets a positive tone and helps children feel part of the group.
Morning Circle
In our circle, we introduce the theme or “wonder of the week,” share stories that spark curiosity, and talk about what we might explore together. Children take turns sharing their own thoughts, building listening skills and helping every voice be valued.
Invitations to Play
Children dive into invitations thoughtfully set out by teachers. This might mean building with sticks, exploring sensory materials, or simply following their curiosity on a hike. It’s a time for imagination, movement, and self-directed discovery.
Focus Activity or Project
Each day includes a main focus that ties into our seasonal or thematic learning. It could be creating nature art, learning a bushcraft skill, or working on yearlong projects like our phenology calendar or Adopt-a-Tree journals.
Snack
We come together for a simple snack, practicing gratitude and taking care of our bodies. Children learn independence by managing their own food and water.
Sit Spot or Journaling
This is a quiet moment when each child finds a favorite spot to sit, watch, listen, and reflect. Sometimes they draw or write in their journals. It’s a peaceful practice that builds mindfulness and deepens their connection to place.
Nature Connection Game
Each day includes a playful game that connects back to nature, like “Owl Eyes” to sharpen observation or “Fox Feet” to practice being sneaky. These games weave in teamwork, sensory skills, and joy.
Song or Chant
Before closing circle, we come back together with a song or chant that ties to our week’s theme, building memory and community through rhythm and repetition.
Closing Circle
At the end of the day, we gather to share our “story of the day” which are the moments that stood out to each child, and express gratitude for our experiences and for
each other. We close with a goodbye song and enjoy a warm drink, sending children home calm, happy, and connected.

Our Curriculum

How We Teach and Why it Works

At Wild Preschool, learning begins outside, guided by children’s natural curiosity, seasonal changes, and local ecology.

We build our curriculum around four core approaches:

Emergent Curriculum

We watch carefully to see what sparks children’s interest, then plan learning invitations that build on those wonders. If children become fascinated by bird nests, we might build our own nests, read stories about birds, and track local birds together.

Coyote Mentoring

Our teachers guide more by asking than telling. Through stories, questions, and gentle nudges, they help children develop their own observations, theories, and connections. This grows critical thinking and self-driven learning.

Flow Learning

Our daily rhythm matches the natural energy of children. We begin by inspiring curiosity, move into open-ended exploration and focused activities, then wind down with calm reflection. This helps children stay engaged, balanced, and regulated.

Place-Based and Seasonal Education

We learn directly from our local land. Children come to know the trees, animals, weather patterns, and cycles of our area through repeated visits. The curriculum follows the seasons, making learning deeply relevant and memorable.

What do we teach?

Our curriculum intentionally supports the whole child, aligned with Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and TEKS for Kindergarten Readiness, while staying true to learning through nature.

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Our Monthly Themes

Throughout the school year, we follow seasonal themes that give children a sense of rhythm, keep learning tied to our local environment, and build anticipation and joy. Each theme weaves in elements of nature study, social and emotional growth, physical challenges, creativity, and stewardship.

Year long Projects

Some projects continue all year, helping children build deeper observation skills and a sense of place.

These are just examples of projects that could be done in Wild Preschool:

Phenology Calendar: Tracking weather, plants, and animal changes week by week.
Sit Spot Anthology: Quiet time in nature, with children’s observations collected into a keepsake.
Adopt-a-Tree Journals: Regular visits to each child’s special tree, recording how it changes.
Nature Museum: Collecting and studying treasures like feathers, seeds, and rocks.
Class Garden or Pollinator Patch: Planting, tending, and harvesting (at sites where space allows).

How We Plan Each Week

At Wild Preschool, the year is carefully mapped out to follow our monthly themes and long-term projects. These give shape and depth to our learning journey, keeping children rooted in seasonal cycles and the natural world.

But within that broad plan, each week is crafted with care by our teaching team to meet the unique group of children in that class. This is the heart of our emergent curriculum. Teachers observe what has sparked curiosity, how the children are developing socially and emotionally, and what the land is offering right now—then build the week around it.

Each week includes these key components:

How to Enroll

Enrolling is simple. Just follow these steps:

Click your preferred location below.
This will take you to that site’s specific registration page, where you can see exactly which days are offered each week and the tuition for your schedule.
Click Register
Select the number of days per week.
You need to enroll your child in a minimum of 2 days per week. Most families choose 3 or more days for the deepest experience.
Choose your payment option.
- Pay in full for the year and automatically receive 10% off tuition.
- Or select the convenient payment plan to spread tuition over 9 monthly installments.
Complete your registration.
After you submit your registration and payment, you’ll receive a welcome email with next steps.

If you have any questions at any point, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We’re happy to help.

Enroll Now

Frequently Asked Questions

Program Registration Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and are not considered part of your tuition. This means the $50 registration fee cannot be refunded or applied to another program, person, or season.

Here’s how our tuition refund policy works if you need to withdraw from Wild Preschool:

30 days or more before the program start date

You will receive a full refund of all paid program tuition (excluding the non-refundable registration fee).

Fewer than 30 days before the program start date

If you paid in full: You will receive a refund of your tuition paid, minus a late withdrawal fee which equals the average of one month's tuition for the number of days your child was enrolled in.
If you’re on a payment plan: You will be responsible for paying the amount of your first month’s installment.

On the first day of class through 30 days after

If you paid in full: You will receive a 75% refund of total tuition.
If you’re on a payment plan: You will still be responsible for 25% of the total tuition, even if you withdraw.

31 to 60 days after the first day of class

If you paid in full: You will receive a 50% refund of total tuition.
If you’re on a payment plan: You will still be responsible for 50% of the total tuition.

61 to 90 days after the first day of class

If you paid in full: You will receive a 25% refund of total tuition.
If you’re on a payment plan: You will still be responsible for 75% of the total tuition.

After 90 days from the program start date

No refund will be given.
If you’re on a payment plan, you are required to pay the tuition in full and continue the remainder of your scheduled installment payments.

How to Cancel

If you need to cancel your enrollment, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Our team will guide you through the process and answer any questions you might have.

The Wild Preschool is exempt from traditional child care licensing under Texas law. As a part-day, nature-based educational program for potty- trained children ages 3 to 5 — operating on a school-year calendar with a curriculum rooted in Texas Prekindergarten Guidelines and TEKS — we qualify for an exemption under Texas Administrative Code §745.129, formally recognized by Texas Health & Human Services.

We exceed minimum state standards by maintaining small ratios, employing trained staff certified in CPR and First Aid, and implementing detailed safety, weather, and emergency protocols.