NEW! Nature-based Young Fives Add-on for 2024-25

In 2017, ZCS began gathering information on the benefits of kids having more time in nature. We found that extended time outdoors led to more creative play, health benefits, higher student engagement, and the opportunity to explore God’s creation in an educational setting. With this knowledge, ZCS decided that we wanted all our students to engage in more outdoor learning, worship, and play.

Since this time, we’ve taken small steps to provide more intentional outdoor time, such as adding tools and objects that allow preschoolers to play more creatively outdoors and increasing recess for our elementary and middle school. We have also taken big steps to support outdoor learning, such as opening Creation Ridge, the ZCS outdoor preschool located within the walls (and 100+ acres) of Ridgepoint Church. Most recently, we’ve piloted Nature-rich classes in Young Fives and Kindergarten at our main campus on Central Avenue in Zeeland.

While the progression of incorporating more outdoor time for our students has ebbed and flowed, we are pleased with the foundation that has been built and the quality of outdoor education we provide. As with all of our programs at ZCS, it’s vital for us to provide a well-balanced educational experience for our students. Therefore, in a sense, we have spent the years since opening Creation Ridge exploring what would work well for our community.

With all of this combined with an increase in enrollment in our youngest grades, we are thrilled to announce that we will be expanding our nature-based offerings to include a Young Fives afternoon add-on at the ZCS main campus. We believe that continuing to strengthen our outdoor education offerings will support our students, specifically our youngest learners at our Creation Ridge campus, as they make the move from preschool to elementary.

We are excited about this next step forward and what it means for all our students. The ZCS Young Fives Nature-based afternoon add-on is slated to launch at the start of the 2024-25 school year. If you have already picked your child’s Young Fives program for next year and are interested in adding this option, or if you have questions, please contact Natalia and Jill in our Admissions & Enrollment department at admissions@zcs.org.