Why Our Nature Preschool Cannot Be Licensed (Yet)

While we would love to license our Nature Preschool, current California licensing regulations do not permit fully outdoor-only preschool programs to become licensed. Community Care Licensing requires preschools to have specific indoor classroom space that meets square-footage, bathroom, and environmental requirements. Because our program is intentionally entirely outdoors, we do not fit into the existing licensing structure.

However:

• We operate with the same safety standards, supervision guidelines, ratios, and procedures required of licensed programs.

• We regularly review requirements to ensure we are aligned with what would be required indoors.

• We are committed to becoming licensed as soon as California allows outdoor-only programs to be licensed in the future. We strongly support ongoing efforts in the state to update regulations to include outdoor and nature-based early education programs.

Our Commitment to Safety and Quality

Even when a program is “license-exempt,” we hold ourselves to the highest standards in:

• Staff training and background checks

• Child safety and supervision

• Emergency procedures

• Environmental safety

• Developmentally appropriate curriculum

• Clear parent communication

Our goal is to provide an enriching, safe, and intentional learning environment—whether in our indoor studio programs or out in nature. All teachers are CPR/First Aid Certified, TB Tested, and do a full background check/fingerprinting.