Over Yonder Nature School offers ‘nature-focused’ preschool in Dripping Springs

Over Yonder Nature School, located at 5000 Bell Springs Drive, Dripping Springs, is now enrolling children 6 weeks to 5 years old and will begin classes this August.

Over Yonder is a nature school, which consists of curriculum based on age and as much outdoor time as possible, owner Christen Werley said.

Werley and her husband, Dustin, are local to Austin and wanted to open a school that would foster a love of a nature for their kids and the community, Werley said.

“[My husband] has lifelong ADD and has always wanted to have a place to foster children's different styles of learning,” Werley said. “This lends itself to his vision of what he would have wanted when he was a child—an open space to run around and get your energy out.”

The 5-acre campus consists of a schoolhouse with four classrooms; rescue animals, such as pigs and chickens, for children to interact with; and play areas.

Lunches and snacks are provided by Hamilton Pool Vineyards and Farms, which has an open farm where Over Yonder students can see where their food comes from.

“We want to foster that love of what the land can offer and what can be done when you love that land, whether that's playing in the mud or growing your own food,” Werley said.

512-212-6895. www.overyondernatureschool.com