Our Story
Located in the “Quiet Corner” of Connecticut, The White Barn Children’s Center is a nature based preschool nestled in the rural town of Thompson. The White Barn Children's Centre is licensed by The State of Connecticut Office of Early Childhood and serves children ages 2 years 9 months to 5. We are dedicated to providing an exceptional educational journey where nature becomes both our classroom and teacher.
With 60% of the day spent outdoors, children have endless opportunities to explore, jump, balance, solve problems, play, and engage in early literacy, science, math, and social-emotional learning.
The White Barn Children’s Centre is more than a preschool—it’s a commitment to raising the standards of early childhood education through nature-based, child-led learning. Inspired by the success of The Barn, Nature’s Path Learning was created to share knowledge, discoveries, and resources with parents and educators beyond the classroom. By providing tools for success, the goal is to extend the impact of nature-based learning to a broader community, fostering a love for exploration, inclusion, and connection to the natural world.
School Campus
The Barn
Our main building, known as The Barn, is a magnificent 40 x 60 monitor style barn. With its expansive ceiling height reaching 24ft at its highest point, the interior is flooded with natural light through thoughtfully designed windows that bring the vibrant colors of the outdoors inside.
Inspired by nature, our interior finishes incorporate the colors and textures of the natural world. The Barn features three spacious open classrooms and a fully functional kitchen.
Gardens & Chickens
Conveniently located on the upper level of the property, our gardens and chickens offer ease of care and safe access for our little learners.
Here, we have an herb garden, a vegetable garden, and a beautiful cut flower garden that spans the upper level of the property. Alongside the gardens, two outbuildings serve as functional spaces for our agricultural endeavors.
The Woodland Trail
Adjacent to the Orchard field on the lower level of the property, our Woodland Trail provides a gentle loop trail experience.
The trail begins at one end of the field and ends at the opposite end, surrounded by majestic mature oak trees that provide shade and a tranquil spot to sit and immerse oneself in the sounds of nature.
