Now Enrolling for the 2026–2027 School Year
Little Explorers is our preschool program for ages 3 to 5. It is a structured, classroom-based program with daily outdoor time, designed to build strong early foundations in a warm, small-group setting.
Children learn best when they feel safe, seen, and supported. In Little Explorers, your child will grow through hands-on discovery, storytelling, early literacy and math activities, art, music, and time outside. We are located on a working farm animal rescue and sanctuary, but we are not a free-range farm school. Learning happens both indoors and outdoors, blending classroom time with supervised outdoor play and occasional animal visits.
Schedule and Options
For the Winter and Spring 2026 term, Little Explorers meets in the mornings:
- Hours: 9:00 AM to 1:30 PM
- Days: Monday through Thursday
- Location: Hidden Bee Learning at Hidden Bee Farm, 753 Carters Creek Pike, Columbia, TN
Families may choose:
- 1 morning per week, if space allows
- 2 mornings per week (recommended minimum)
- 3 mornings per week, if space allows
- 4 mornings per week for a fuller experience
We strongly recommend at least two consistent days each week so children can settle into routines, build friendships, and revisit what they learned earlier in the week. When space is limited, priority is given to children enrolling for two or more mornings.
For tuition details and day combinations, please see our Tuition and Enrollment page.
What Your Child Will Experience
Each morning blends clear structure with play and exploration. Our goal is for children to feel comfortable, confident, and excited to learn.
Typical experiences include:
Morning circle
Songs, stories, early literacy activities, calendar and weather, and simple group discussions.
Hands-on early learning
Play-based early literacy and math, fine motor work, science and nature activities, and art projects that match our themes.
Indoor play and centers
Imaginative play, building, dramatic play, puzzles, and rotating learning centers that support social skills, sharing, and problem solving.
Outdoor time
Daily outdoor play for movement, gross motor skills, nature observation, and simple exploration. Children are always supervised outside and follow clear rules for where they may go and how we treat the environment.
Occasional animal visits
Planned, small-group visits with animals when appropriate. Because Hidden Bee Farm is a rescue and sanctuary, we teach children to move slowly, be gentle, and respect animal boundaries. The animals are part of our environment, not the focus of every lesson.
Curriculum and Approach
Little Explorers uses a thoughtful mix of early childhood resources that support literacy, math, creativity, and nature-based learning:
- Blossom and Root for gentle, nature-inspired early learning
- Moving Beyond the Page for literature-based connections between stories and real life
- See It, Say It, Read It, Write It for early literacy and phonics
- Selected thematic units and activities to support seasonal learning and student interests
We group children by developmental readiness, not just age. Before a child moves from Little Explorers into Pathfinders, we look at their readiness in areas like early literacy, attention, independence, and social skills and talk with families about the best placement. Some children are ready to move up around age 5, while others benefit from an additional year in Little Explorers.
Who Little Explorers Is For
Little Explorers works well for:
- Preschool age children who are not yet in a full-day school
- Homeschool families who want a structured, small-group class for their younger children
- Families who value clear routines, gentle structure, and strong early learning foundations
You do not have to be a homeschool family to attend. Hidden Bee Learning can complement private school, homeschool, or a part-time preschool plan.
If you are homeschooling, you remain the primary educator. Little Explorers serves as a partner for early foundational skills, social learning, and hands-on experiences.
Potty Training and Independence
All Little Explorers students must be fully potty trained and able to use the bathroom independently before attending.
Children should be able to:
- Recognize when they need to use the restroom
- Use the toilet without assistance
- Manage clothing and basic hygiene independently, with reminders
- Wash hands afterward
Staff do not go into the bathroom with children. When children use the outdoor bathroom, staff visually supervise from outside and watch to be sure they go, finish, and come back promptly. We build bathroom breaks and handwashing into our daily rhythm and give extra reminders for younger children.
If a child is not fully potty trained at the time of enrollment, their start date will be delayed until they are ready.
Safety, Class Size, and Staffing
In Little Explorers:
- Morning classes share a large classroom that is divided into age-appropriate areas for Little Explorers and Pathfinders.
- Combined enrollment for these groups is kept at about 18 to 20 children with 3 adults in the room. That works out to roughly 1 adult for every 6 to 7 children.
- Children are always supervised indoors and outdoors.
- Animal time happens only in planned, small-group visits with clear safety rules. Children are never allowed in barns or animal pens without staff present.
- All staff are background checked, and there is always at least one CPR and First Aid trained adult on site.
Clear routines and boundaries help children feel secure, which makes it easier for them to explore, play, and learn.
Tuition and Enrollment
Tuition, payment schedules, registration fees, and withdrawal policies are the same across all of our programs and are outlined on our Tuition and Enrollment page.
On that page you will find:
- Weekly tuition for one to four mornings per week
- Information about our school year model and payment timing
- Details on registration fees and early bird options, when available
- Our current withdrawal and mid-year enrollment policies
Families may enroll for one morning per week when space allows, but we prioritize and recommend at least two mornings for the best experience.
- Book a tour to see the classroom and farm
- Ask questions about fit and readiness
- Complete your child’s Little Explorers enrollment through the forms linked on the Tuition and Enrollment and Programs pages