Interested in Will Smith Zoo School?
Follow these steps to start the enrollment process:
Download and Read Our
Family Handbook
Family Handbook
Learn more about our school’s philosophy and policies.
Schedule a Tour
Join us for a guided tour and see how curiosity, connection, and play come together at Will Smith Zoo School.
Enroll Today
Take the first step toward enrollment by reviewing our preregistration paperwork and submitting the WSZS Interest Form.
Why Nature-Based?
- Children with views of and contact with nature score higher on tests of concentration and self-discipline. The greener the experience, the better the scores (Weeland et at., 2019).
- Children who play regularly in natural environments show more advanced motor fitness, including coordination, balance and agility, and they are sick less often (Dankiw et al., 2020).
- When children play in natural environments, their play is more diverse with imaginative and creative play that fosters language and collaborative skills (Prins et al., 2022).
- Exposure to natural environments improves children’s cognitive development by improving their awareness, reasoning and observational skills (Nguyen & Walter, 2024).
- Nature buffers the impact of life’s stresses on children and helps them deal with adversity. The greater the amount of nature exposure, the greater the benefits (Moll et al., 2022).
- Play in a diverse natural environment reduces or eliminates bullying (Sakhvidi et al., 2022).
- Nature helps children develop powers of observation and creativity and instills a sense of peace and being at one with the world (Beery & Chawla, 2020).
- Nature preschools can be effective in promoting positive peer play interactions and learning behaviors and thus make important contributions to school readiness (Burgess, 2020).
- Nature preschools are effective in supporting the development of various protective factors which contribute to young children’s resilience (Ernst, Juckett, & Sobel, 2021).
- Nature play is a rich and valid contributor to sustainability outcomes (Ernst et al., 2021).
- Natural environments tend to be safer, calmer, and foster warmer relationships (Kuo, Barnes, & Jordan, 2019).
- There is a positive link between nature engagement and the mental health of children (Tillman et al., 2018).