Outdoor Preschool
Fall 2026 Registration Is Now Open
What is Nature School?
Nature school, or Forest School, is an early childhood education completely based in the outdoors. The curriculum is emergent and inspired by the curiosity and interest of the child, while being centered in nature. Children are encouraged to explore, take risks and create a lifelong love of learning alongside the gentle and nurturing hands of the teachers.
Sweet Mountaintop Nature Preschool Program is focused on the growth and development of the child as a whole, and offers support through this journey with play and exploration. Through our program, children develop a strong sense of self, sense of community and a love for the natural world around them. With these connections, we foster the growth of independence, resilience and confidence- the pillars of a compassionate and curious lifelong learner. Our program is for kids ages 2.5 - 5 years old.
Location
Sweet Mountaintop Farm is located just outside of Carpinteria, CA on Rincon Mountain. The property is family owned and operated as a working everlasting flower/medicinal herb farm. The property is home to Mary Gonzalez, Rob Peed, and their son Orion- as well as dogs, chickens, goats and a variety of native plants and animals.
Gentle Daily Rhythm
9 AM: Morning greetings & garden exploration
9:45 AM: Morning Mindfulness and tea
9:50 AM: Circle time
10 AM: Snack time (we provide a snack each day)
10:15 AM: Garden exploration
11 AM: Arts & crafts
12 PM: Story time & lunch
12:15 PM: Garden exploration
12:45 PM: Goodbye circle
1 PM: Departures
(*1PM-4PM Aftercare optional)
Fall Session 2026
August 24, 2026 to December 18, 2026
(excluding September 7, November 23-27)
Monday - Friday
9am-1pm
(after care option 1-4pm)
Price per session:
1 days per week - $1,275 (Friday only)
2 days per week - $2,400
3 days per week - $3,390
4 days per week - $4,220
5 days per week - $4,930
Daily snacks and all materials for crafts and activities are included in tuition price
Payment in installments is available. Discounts for paying in full are offered.
Licensing and Accreditation
This is not a licensed or accredited preschool, as existing regulations only apply to indoor childcare facilities. Our Nature Preschool is thus a “program” and not a “school”. Forest/Nature schools now have a path to accreditation in Washington State, California does not yet have institutional oversight of outdoor education programs.
Sweet Mountaintop Nature Preschool has highly experienced and qualified instructors and clearly defined best practice standards in the field of nature based early childhood education and social emotional development.
How to Register
If you are interested in enrolling for Sweet Mountaintop Nature School please click on the link below to fill out our registration form. Once you have filled out the form, we will contact you to schedule a time for you and your child to come visit the school.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out - smtnatureschool@gmail.com
Interested In Our Summer Programs?
We still have few spots left for the last couple of weeks
Meet our Instructors
Eloise Lubsen
Lead Instructor
"I am a Southern Californian native to San Diego who moved to Santa Barbara county to earn my bachelors in Global Studies at UCSB back in 2020. My love for working with children starts as young as birth in my doula work, but preschoolers hold a special place in my heart. You can find me barefoot in the dirt or sand with my puppy, often singing, surfing, creating in the mountains.
Sweet Mountaintop mixes my love of the natural world, early childhood development, and explorations of imagination into a special place to learn. I’ve spent the majority of my life alongside toddlers and young children, not only teaching but learning from them as well. I believe preschoolers hold innate knowledge and a great capacity to develop any skills their heart desires in a soft, explorative, and nurturing environment. I admire and align with the philosophies of Forest and Waldorf schools, allowing children to lead us through nature with their head, heart, and hands. I am a passionate advocate for the inclusion of children in community and my teaching style is rooted in the belief that immersing children in nature early on instills a deeper connection to themselves and others - and there lies opportunities for imagination and growth to begin."
Kayla Poland
Assistant Teacher
"I'm originally from the east coast, but my mom and I moved to sweet Santa Barbara when I was 15. After falling in love with the pacific coast I grew into all things ocean based and I knew I'd forever call this place home. After finishing my undergrad in San Diego, where I studied sustainability and communications, I came back north to plant my roots. I have always known I would teach in some capacity, but felt more drawn to the nature of outdoor school. Growing up I had the freedom to roam free, barefoot, and explore until the moon came up each night. I have years of experience with children and fully believe preschool years are to be cherished and are key for childhood development. I fully believe these years are meant for experiencing the outdoors and fostering creativity through exploration and socialization. It is our job to lead with careful thought and understanding of the local flora and fauna. I feel so fortunate to be here and am so excited to be a part of this program - to learn from each other and lead the next generation of kiddos is truly a magical privilege!"
Paige Halter
Assistant Teacher
"I am originally from Boulder, Colorado and spent my adolescent years in Santa Cruz, California. Currently I am finishing up my bachelors degree in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Education at UCSB. In my free time I am reading a book near a river or in the ocean somewhere along the central coast. I feel lucky to have experienced an early Waldorf education in my childhood and deeply appreciate the foundation of slow, imaginative, earth centered learning it provided me. It is my belief that connection to the earth and its rhythms at a preschool level is one of the greatest gifts we can give to our children as well as our planet. Being present in nature is a beautiful way to regulate nervous systems, cultivate wonder, and instill deep care for our earth and each other. I am passionate about teaching littles, specifically preschool students. It is such a special time of growth socially and emotionally that I am so grateful to have the opportunity to gently guide."
Kahlil Aguilar
Substitute lead teacher
"I grew up on the coast in Carpinteria. I attended the Waldorf School of Santa Barbara for ten years and graduated high school through a homeschool program. I am a big time outdoor craftsman and most enjoy creating things like wooden tools, bows and arrows, herbal remedies, growing food, and learning other bushcraft skills. I’ve always loved teaching, and have volunteered the last two years at the Waldorf School of Santa Barbara, helping to teach games classes and woodworking to grades 1st through 8th. I have also been a head counselor at The Orca Camp, a Waldorf inspired beach camp, for the past four summers. It brings me joy to see kids grow, running and playing with smiles on their faces. I believe that nature is it’s own teacher, and we as teachers are only here to help guide and nurture children. I am really excited to be a part of Sweet Mountaintop school and I look forward to being a part of this community."
Angie Ouelette
Substitute lead teacher
"I was born and raised in Santa Barbara and wandered around the west a bit before I found myself drawn back to this enchanting coastline. I received a BA in psychology at San Diego State and worked with mothers and their children in residential treatment before I found myself falling in love with growing food and plant medicine. I studied permaculture in Sebastopol and enjoyed working the land growing organic produce and herbs. I finally landed a dream job back home in Santa Barbara teaching TK-8th students how to care for the Earth and each other. Over the last 2 years I have been enjoying sharing this passion with my toddler and watching his love for the garden and the outdoors grow. I have seen firsthand how important child-centered and play-based learning is at his age and have been exploring what that looks like with my son and his peers at our cooperative preschool. This is such a magical time in these tiny humans' lives and I find so much delight in holding space for them to learn and grow in a safe and beautiful environment."