Absolutely! At Foothills Little Explorers, we have developed our own nature-based curriculum designed by founders and certified teachers, Carley Smith and Cassidy Harrison.

Our curriculum blends the North Carolina Foundations for Early Learning and Development with nature studies to create hands-on learning experiences in Early Literacy, Math, Science, Social-Emotional Learning, and Art.

Unlike a traditional classroom curriculum, our lessons are flexible and adapt to the changing seasons, weather, wildlife, and environment. This allows children to follow their curiosity while still meeting developmental goals.

Whether we are measuring sticks, identifying animal tracks, creating nature-inspired art, or building vocabulary through storytelling, every experience is intentionally planned to nurture the whole child.

We believe children learn best when they are actively engaged, asking questions, and making real-world connections—and nature provides the perfect classroom for that.

We follow CDC guidance for tick prevention and removal and teach children age-appropriate “nature safety” habits throughout the day. Teachers help with routine visual checks during outdoor play, especially after hikes or time in tall grass.

We also ask families to apply insect repellent before class each day and complete a daily full-body tick check after school as an important part of our shared safety routine. While insects are a natural part of outdoor learning, we use simple, consistent prevention practices to keep children safe and comfortable in nature.

Yes—our program is intentionally designed as an outdoor nature-based school, and children spend their morning learning and playing outside in every season.

We believe children thrive when they are immersed in nature year-round, and we use the outdoor environment as our classroom for exploration, movement, and hands-on learning. Rain, sunshine, wind, and even snow all become part of the learning experience.

There are limited moments when we may use covered areas for learning or safety, but the heart of our program is always outdoors.

We will cancel class if the feels-like temperature is 100 degrees or higher or 20 degrees or lower. We also consider wind chill, heat index, road conditions, and overall weather conditions when making decisions each day.

We may shorten or adjust class time during extreme cold or heat, always prioritizing hydration, layering, shade, and movement to keep children comfortable.

We cancel class in unsafe weather conditions such as lightning, severe storms, or conditions that cannot be safely managed outdoors.