GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Nature is the classroom for young students in John Ball Zoo's Zoolittles preschool program.
The program, now in its second year, allows kids ages three to five to immerse themselves in nature and visit zoo animals every day.
"To inspire the next generation of conservationists we wanted to start with the youngest age," said Rhiannon Mulligan, Director of Conservation and Education at John Ball Zoo. "They can explore the woods. They can explore the zoo animals at their own pace."
Students spend most of their time outside daily, but a small classroom building is also available, steps away from the zoo's front entrance.
"The kids really do spend every day outside. So rain or shine, they are suiting up," Mulligan explained. "A lot of them come home covered in mud, but that just means they had a great day of learning."
The "littles' get to guide much of their learning, whether it's sitting on a log to read a book or climbing a tree as they explore the nearby woods.
"They're learning all of those important social skills, and that's built into the power of play," said Mulligan. "Developing just those fine motor and large motor skills that will then lead to all of the important things, like writing and reading later on in their school careers."
Mulligan said word spread quickly about the new program, which makes getting a spot in demand.
"This year when we opened the popularity soared, and really it was filled in the first sort of ten minutes of registration opening," she told FOX 17 News.
Information sessions are held in January, with registration following in the winter.
Zoolittles runs from September- May.
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