Growing WILD together!
Summer Session (2021) and School Year Session (2021-2022) registration will open on FEBRUARY 1, 2021!
A wait list for the current 2020-2021 school year is available. Please apply and pay the $25 application fee to be added to the list.
You must submit payment for your $25 application fee by clicking the purple button above at the time of application. Your application is not considered complete until payment has been received.
Our values: Wonder. Integrity. Love. Diversity.
- Growing WILD. We believe in the sacredness of childhood. We understand this incredible stage of human development, and we honor it by encouraging children to play and by supporting their growth, as we play and grow ourselves. We also commit to grow as an early childhood education program rooted in educational research.
- Wonder. We believe in the power of curiosity. We know that an open-minded approach to life allows imaginations to grow and flourish, connections to form, and meaning to be built. We see the world with new eyes each day.
- Integrity. We commit to becoming the best version of ourselves. Young children learn by observing the role models in their lives. We strive to provide strong models for children to imitate, and we teach children the power of their own words and actions.
- Love. We embrace that loving, safe relationships are the foundation of high-quality early childhood education. We approach our families, our children, and our work with love in an effort to build a compassionate community.
- Diversity. We recognize that everyone is different, and that our differences strengthen us as a community. Together, we create a place where all children are free to discover and to celebrate their own unique cultures and identities.
Our mission: To inspire the healthy social emotional, physical, creative, and cognitive development of young children through close-up experiences with animals and nature.
Days, Times, and Tuition Rates
- Monday-Friday; 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- School-year Session: Tuesday September 8, 2020 – Thursday June 10, 2021 (Start date pending licensure)
- NEW! Summer Session: Monday June 21, 2021 – Friday August 27, 2021
- $900 per month
Frequently Asked Questions
Applications will be accepted beginning on February 3, 2020. A $25 application fee is due when applying and can be paid online, in person, or by mail. Click HERE to apply! Click HERE to pay your application fee.
The Lake Superior Zoo School is open to children ages 33 months (fully potty trained) -5 years old located in the Twin Ports area. We will also accept families participating in the Child Care Assistance Program.
• Arrival & Playscape Play
• Zoo Walkabout
• Bathroom & Snack
• Whole Group
• Small Group
• Outdoor Play
• Bathroom & Lunch
• Rest
• Indoor Play
• Bathroom & Snack
• Playscape Play & Departure
Learn more about our program plan here.
Yes, a $360 deposit is required to hold your child’s spot.
Tuition will be collected via automatic bank withdrawal.
Yes, please see our calendar here.
We have a full pandemic preparedness plan in place, as well as a parent guide and home screen tool for COVID-19 symptoms. Please click the links below to view those documents.
• LSZS Pandemic Preparedness Plan
• Home Screening tool for COVID-19 Symptoms
• Parent Guide to LSZS Preparedness Plan
Zoo School only offers full-time child care.
When our enrollment is full, you can check out these other high-quality nature programs in the Duluth Nature Play Collaborative:
• Secret Forest Playschool
• Wind Ridge Schoolhouse
• Duluth Forest Kinderhaus
• Wandering Roots Nature School
• Spirit of the Lake Community School Kinderfarm
• Hartley Nature Preschool