Little Acorns Nature Preschool

The mission of the Dahlem Little Acorns Nature Preschool is to provide an environment for children to explore, create, imagine, learn and grow through hands-on activities and experiences; to promote social, emotional and cognitive skills; and to instill a lifelong love, respect and understanding of nature.

Philosophy

At Dahlem we believe every child should have the opportunity to enjoy nature and that children are eager and excited to learn by doing. The Little Acorns program promotes learning by:

Establishing a learning environment that provides opportunity for exploration, experimentation and imagination;
Developing age-appropriate activities that encourage and promote learning;
Asking questions and providing the knowledge and experiences to encourage children’s ability to problem solve;
Encouraging children to work together to achieve a common goal; and
Enabling children to develop and nurture relationships between peers and adults.

“Little Acorns Nature Preschool has cultivated great JOY in being outside for each of my children. In an age where screens make it easy to stay indoors, I am so grateful for the Dahlem Center that makes outside play a priority. Our daughters care about creatures big and small. They are curious and confident little people who relish the sun on their faces and the wind in their hair. Little Acorns is a gem that shouldn’t stay hidden.”

School Year Schedule

The 2026-2027 school year begins August 24, 2026. Classes take place in Dahlem’s Little Acorns Nature Preschool classroom and, our true classroom, the great outdoors. We have our lead teacher and assistant teacher overseeing a maximum of 14 children per class.

4-year-old class: Monday through Thursday: 12:30-3:30 PM; $310 per month.
3-year-old class: Monday and Wednesday: 8:30-11:30 AM; $190 per month.
3-year-old class: Tuesday and Thursday: 8:30-11:30 AM; $190 per month.

Please contact us to be put on the waiting list for classes that are already full (contact@dahlemcenter.org).

Must be 3 years old by September 1, 2026 to enroll in the 3-year-old class.

For current school year (2025-2026) class openings, please contact us 517-782-3453.

Registration for the 2026-2027 school year OPENS on the following dates:

January 26- February 1, 2026 priority registration is for currently enrolled students (families)

Starting February 2, 2026 registration is open to the public

Click Here for 2026-2027 Registration Application

Scholarship Application (Closed)

Scholarship applications must be submitted by July 1st. Scholarship applications submitted after July 1st will be considered on a case-by-case basis as funds are available. Scholarships may cover all or part of the tuition, based on income and other circumstances. Must be an enrolled student to be considered for scholarship.

Scholarship applications are now closed for the 2025-2026 school year.