Where Learning and Curiosity Grow Wild

TUCKED BENEATH A canopy of trees in Ridgewood, New Jersey, Friends Neighborhood Nature School isn’t your typical preschool. On any given day, students will spend their day outdoors learning math, science and literacy through hands-on, nature-based experiences. For 65 years, Friends has nurtured the curiosity and well-being of children ages 2½ to 6, incorporating a tradition of Quaker values: simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship.

What sets Friends apart isn’t just its longevity—it’s the belief that the best kind of classroom doesn’t have walls. And perhaps no one embodies that belief more fully than longtime teacher Laura Smith.

A LEGACY OF CARE AND CURIOSITY

Smith has been part of the Friends family for two decades—first as a parent volunteer and now as a deeply beloved teacher. “Both my sons came here. This school has been part of my life for a long time,” she says.

This year, her dedication was honored nationally when she received the 2025 Dick Engsberg Teacher Appreciation Award, presented by the Bergen County Audubon Society. The award celebrates educators who spark curiosity and encourage connection and stewardship to the natural world— values Smith has lived daily in her work with the school’s youngest learners.

“Laura has made strong connections with my children and fostered their curiosity, always valuing their observations and taking time to delve into their interests. She is a huge part of what makes Friends such a magical place for children to learn, grow and thrive!” says Gabby Hughes, parent and school volunteer.

WEATHERING CHANGE

While Friends has always prioritized a connection with nature, the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the school to lean into the outdoors completely.

“To stay open, we had to conduct the program outside—even in the bitter cold,” Smith recalls. “And something amazing happened. The kids thrived.”

Wrapped in layers and brimming with curiosity, students adjusted to an all-weather outdoor routine that turned mud puddles into sensory stations and snow into a medium for art. “Even the teachers got muddy,” she laughs. “And it was worth it.”

Since then, Friends has formally embraced its identity as a nature-based school. Smith became the first faculty member to earn a Nature-Based Teacher Certification from the Association for Nature-Based Education, a comprehensive program recognized for its in-depth training in best practices for outdoor and nature-oriented early childhood education.

Smith’s experience and education are incorporated into every aspect of her work with her class of 2½ to 4-year-olds. “We sort shapes with leaves, learn to count with acorns and practice measuring with snow. It’s play-based learning, but it hits all the best practices for early education— math, literacy, science and, most importantly, social skills.”

A DAY IN THE LIFE

On a typical morning, the school accommodates a maximum of 25 students (divided among morning, afternoon, or five-day schedules) who build imaginative structures out of sticks and rocks or study worms in the soil. “They are curious about the worms—and they really care about them,” Smith notes. “That care translates to how they treat each other. They respect the land—and their classmates.”

With minimal tech and maximal imagination, Friends encourages children to create stories, explore freely and take ownership of their environment. “They don’t need toys with batteries to tech devices. They need shovels. And rakes,” Smith says. “And maybe some birdseed.”

The curriculum is often shaped by student interest. “If they’re curious about birds, we listen for them, identify them, draw them and read books about them. The kids lead, and I follow,” says Smith.

GROWING TOGETHER

The school’s community extends far beyond its shaded campus. Families gather for book and clothing swaps, seasonal celebrations and nature events. Many form lasting friendships that outlive preschool years. “It’s a true community,” Smith says. “And everyone is welcome.”

Summer brings an eight-week outdoor camp full of themed adventures and water play. Nearly everything else happens outside— unless the heat gets too intense. “Even then, we stay out as long as we can,” Smith says.

The school’s mission remains refreshingly simple: nurture the whole child through play, nature and community. “We’re not teaching kids about the natural world,” Smith explains. “We’re helping them learn with it.”

LOOKING AHEAD, STAYING GROUNDED

As Friends Neighborhood Nature School marks its 65th anniversary, it does so with renewed purpose. Guided by its Quaker roots and strengthened by teachers like Smith, the school continues to grow its vision of inclusive, play-based, nature-centered education.

“This award is such an honor,” she says, reflecting on her upcoming recognition at an event hosted by the Audubon Society. “But the real reward is being with these kids every day—watching them explore, ask questions and grow confident in who they are and how they belong in the world.”

Amanda Marchesani, FNNS director, says, “Because of Laura, our students view nature as a miraculous wonderland to be respected and explored. She is the reason our students are developing a powerful and lasting relationship with nature that will last a lifetime. As David Attenborough once said, ‘No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.’”

And as the children scatter across the school’s wooded campus—muddy boots, curious minds and open hearts leading the way—one thing is clear. At Friends, the future of early education is already in bloom.

Learn more information at ridgewoodfriends.org.

BY KRIS PEPPER