Meet Boston Outdoor Preschool Network

Our mission is to meet the developmental needs of the whole child while initiating them into a lifelong relationship with the natural world.

BOPN’s Beginnings

Sarah Besse and Shela Sinelien met in 2016, while in graduate school for Early Childhood Education at Wheelock College. As public school educators, they noticed the preschool children felt most alive when engaging with the natural world and their local community. Together they sought to expand opportunities for nature-based education. Around this time, Sara Murray began taking her first graders outside to learn and play. Happily, Sarah, Shela and Sara joined forces to open the first BOPN class at the Arnold Arboretum in September 2019.

BOPN arose from the shared desire to offer young learners a joyfully muddy childhood—fostering curiosity, movement, music, art, science, and connection with nature and one another.

Our goal is to provide equitable access to nature-based early education.

Explore our Curriculum

BOPN combines early childhood and environmental education. Our approach to teaching is inspired by multiple sources, including Lens on Outdoor Learning and the NAAEE Guidelines for Excellence in Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs. Both sets of standards emphasize child-directed learning, authentic experiences, connecting to previous experience, and culturally appropriate practice.

Why BOPN?

  • Inclusive

    BOPN is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that was founded in 2019. Our focus is hands-on outdoor education and environmental stewardship.

    BOPN is committed to expanding access to outdoor education by offering financial aid for our tuition-based programs, bringing nature-based education to Boston public schools, and opening Boston’s first free nature preschool at the zoo.

  • Innovative

    Co-Founders Sarah Besse & Shela Sinelien were recognized with the Boston University Young Alumni Award for their work to create innovative early education opportunities.

    BOPN offers year-round nature immersive programming. We play and learn outdoors every day, rain or shine!

  • Benefits

    Play-based learning is critical to children’s healthy development.

    A growing body of research has found myriad positive impacts from frequent play in natural settings. These cover the entire range of holistic child development: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, creative and spiritual.

  • Expertise

    BOPN was founded by a diverse team of Masters-level female educators who envisioned play-based and nature-based programming for young children. BOPN co-founders bring experience in public schools, private schools, Montessori education, special education, and nature immersion.

    BOPN is managed by a team of administrators, many of whom are also BOPN co-Founders, BOPN teachers, and/or parents of BOPN children.

Connect with Us

The Importance of Play-Based Learning

Research has shown that play-based learning has a positive impact on children's cognitive, social, emotional and physical development. Children learn problem-solving skills and how to work with others in a collaborative environment. They also develop creative thinking, imagination, and communication skills in addition to building self-esteem and confidence.

In a play-based learning environment, children are encouraged to take an active role in their learning. They have the freedom to choose and make decisions, which promotes independence and self-reliance.

Meet our Administrators

Benefits of Nature School

A growing body of research shows myriad positive impacts stemming from frequent play in natural settings.  These cover the full range of holistic child development focus-points: physical, social, emotional, intellectual, creative and spiritual. 

Positive Impacts Include:

  • Supporting development in multiple domains
    Connecting with nature helps your child develop socially, intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. (Kellert, 2005).

  • Supporting creativity and problem solving skills
    Children who play outside have more active imaginations are are more likely to be able to solve a complex problem than peers who spend most of their time inside. (Kellert, 2005)

  • Enhancing concentration and lessening ADD-like behaviors
    Daily exposure to nature increases a child's ability to focus, enhances their cognitive ability, and significantly lessens symptoms of ADD in children as young as five (Kuo and Taylor, 2004)

  • Improving academic performance
    Schools that use outdoor classrooms and other forms of nature-based education show significant student gains in social studies, science, language arts, and math. (American Institutes for Research, 2005).​

  • Improving social relations
    When children are free to explore and engage in unstructured play outdoors (both by themselves and with others), they are smarter and better able to get along with others. (Burdette and Whitaker, 2005).

  • Reducing stress
     Green plants and vegetation reduce stress among highly stressed children. Locations with greater number of plants, greener views, and access to natural play areas show more significant results (Wells and Evans, 2003).

  • Improving eyesight
    More time spent outdoors is related to reduced rates of nearsightedness, also known as myopia, in children and adolescents (American Academy of Ophthalmology, 2011).

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(Thanks to Grow, Bloom and Thrive in Millis, MA and to Crunchy Baby Farm for sharing these resources.)

Board of Directors

  • Chris Novak

    Chris brings her experience fueling great teams doing ground-breaking work for leading brands, companies, universities and non-profits. She’s led top-level strategy, branding and communications for clients ranging from AT&T to Harvard University to the start-up of NPR’s StoryCorps. Chris has an MBA from Harvard and a BA from Yale.

  • Bill Brinkman

    Bill has spent his career building, investing in, and advising businesses. He currently leads a healthcare investment firm. In his free time Bill enjoys hiking, fishing, and grilling.

  • Hannah Sheridan

    Hannah's passion is working with young children in creative, educational, and therapeutic ways. She believes a child’s development, potential, and understanding of the world is driven by natural curiosity, built upon by exploration and experience, and unleashed through unhindered creativity. She explores this earth with an open mind, a caring heart, and sense of adventure.

  • Martha Ross

    Martha has used her five-plus years of previous consulting experience to support philanthropic and nonprofit organizations in navigating transformational change efforts. Martha’s other interests include gender equality and justice, global development, economic justice, and environmental sustainability.

“It is amazing to be at the Aboretum and outside everyday, and the teachers are top notch educators. The program is immensely well-run and every person from management to interns really care about the children, and their hearts are in the right spot. We couldn’t recommend BOPN enough!”

— Ken S.

“BOPN's outdoor leaders are highly trained and experienced to offer this essential program to families in Boston. Nature offers a much more comprehensive learning experience for children, and BOPN is leading the way!”

— Susan C.