St. Francis Nature Academy (SFNA) will be a fully outdoor, all-weather, drop-off program located off Hwy 71 between Bastrop & Smithville, Texas (15 minutes from each town) for fully potty-trained children between the ages of 3 and 8 (as of September 1 of the relevant academic year). ​

​

The program will be offered 9 AM to 2 PM Monday – Friday during the months of August – May. Parents choose which days of the week their child(ren) will attend the program. Parents pick the schedule of program attendance, between one and five days per week. Whatever schedule parents choose at registration will remain consistent for the entire semester. Our staff-to-child ratio will be no more than 1:10. Enrollment will be capped at 30 children per day max. 

​

At SFNA, children learn through play, discovery, and hands-on experiences in the natural world. They build resilience, independence, and self-esteem as they balance on logs, dig in the dirt, build forts, observe wildlife, and make art from natural materials. Our program blends a play-based, child-led approach with a mentoring style that encourages exploration through thoughtful questioning rather than direct instruction. We guide by nurturing curiosity and supporting independent thinking.​

 

Each day follows a rhythm shaped by the children’s interest and the changing seasons, encouraging physical activity, environmental stewardship, and meaningful engagement with the outdoors. SFNA supports holistic development—social, emotional, cognitive, and physical—through authentic, nature-rich experiences.​

​

We believe that time spent outdoors helps children grow in confidence, curiosity, creativity, and care for the world around them. Our program provides a safe, nurturing environment where your child can connect deeply with nature and with others, fostering a lasting relationship with Mother Earth.​

 

During supervised exploration of 10 acres, our activities include:

• building bug hotels

• caring for livestock

• climbing trees

• collecting rocks

• counting natural materials (e.g., acorns and rocks)

• creating nature art

• gardening (planting, watering, and harvesting vegetables and flowers)

• going on scavenger hunts

• identifying plants, trees, and wildlife

• making bird feeders

• playing in mud, water, and sand

• reading books about nature and the environment

• sorting and counting natural materials

• taking nature walks

​

Playing in nature allows children to experience a sense of freedom and calmness, which improves their mood and resilience. Research shows that being outside is good for kids’ mental health. Spending time outdoors can lower stress, anxiety and depression; increase physical activity; and improve focus and sleep quality—all contributing to better mental health as children grow and develop.

​

If your child has apprehensions about “getting dirty” while playing outside, please know that some kids start that way but usually grow comfortable as they see peers having fun and learn that dirt washes off but memories last.​​​

​

Due to the nature of the programing we offer at SFNA, we are not licensed by the State of Texas.