History
Sarah Besse and Shela Sinelien met in 2016 while in graduate school for Early Childhood Education at Wheelock College. As educators in the public schools, they noticed that their preschool children felt most alive when engaging with the natural world. They began to dream about expanding opportunities for nature-immersive education in Boston. Around the same time, Sara Murray began taking her students outside to learn and play. As a first grade teacher at an independent school, she started the Forest Explorers after-school club; during summers, she taught at nature-based camps. Happily, we found each other and joined forces. BOPN arose out of our mutual desire to provide a joyfully muddy childhood filled with wonder, investigation, science, art, movement, and love of learning in the great outdoors. We started our first class at the Arnold Arboretum in 2019 and expanded to Massachusetts Horticultural Society in 2020.
Specialties
Boston Outdoor Preschool Network is an entirely outdoor early childhood program. We are committed to nature immersion, interest-led learning, inquiry-based teaching, and authentic play. The ever-changing landscape of Massachusetts Horticultural Society (Wellesley) and the Arnold Arboretum (Boston) provides endless opportunities to spark children's curiosity, discovery, and learning. At BOPN we build community while valuing each child's unique experiences and needs. Programs offered: Summer program Half Day Preschool Program Full Day Preschool program (2.9 - 6 years) Full Day Toddler program (15 months - 2.9 years) Update (4/2/21): Full-day classes: Please note that we do not have any openings in our full-day class near the Arnold Arboretum. We do have openings in our new full-day toddler and preschool classes at Massachusetts Horticultural Society in Wellesley, starting September 2021.