The mission of Y-Koda Nature School is to provide a high quality, hands-on early childhood experience aligning with the most current child development research and inspiring a lifelong connection with nature through play.
Key tenets of nature based learning...
- Science inquiry, literacy, math and art through the lens of nature
- A minimum of 40% of the day is spent outside in unstructured, uninterrupted play - play based learning no matter the weather
- Child lead learning
- Encouraging calculated risk taking
- Development of the whole child
- Social Emotional Development
- Environmental Stewardship
- Hands on, sensory based
- Brain based pedagogy
Locations
Sheboygan
- Our three-way partnership between the Sheboygan Area School District, Camp Y-Koda and Maywood Environmental Park allows us to offer tuition-free, nature based 4K education. Enroll your child today!
Sheboygan Falls
- NEWER to the 2026-2027 School Year, Camp Y-Koda has joined the Sheboygan Falls School District to bring a Nature Based 4K Program directly on-site at Camp Y-Koda. This is a tuition-free, nature based 4K program that operates from Monday-Thursday.
MEET OUR TEACHERS
Brianna Arnold
4K Teacher at Maywood Site
Greetings! I’m Brianna Arnold, and I’m so excited to be teaching the morning class at Y-Koda Nature School! I graduated from UW-Stevens Point with a degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management and Environmental Ethics. I have spent the last 2 years with Camp Y-Koda in many environmental education roles, but my favorite has always been in the 4K classroom, so I am very comfortable building-on and continuing the pedagogy from previous years.
My personal philosophy is that we ALL learn best in outdoor and biophilic environments -it nurtures curiosity, regulates our nervous systems, connects us to our communities, and helps us create a true sense-of-self. I strive to implement these principals by spending as much time as possible playing and learning in nature this school year - rain, snow or shine!
Even outside of the classroom, I’m often hiking, identifying plants and birds, cycling, paddling you name it! My favorite things to find in nature are Turkey Vultures and weird bugs! My family currently consists of my lovely husband, 2 dogs Obi-Wan and Ahsoka (we love Star Wars!), a cat named Pibble and 2 goldfish Kevin and Stuart (we also love the Minions).
MARY GROSS
4K Naturalist at Maywood Site
Mary serves as the YKNS naturalist and shares her many years of educational experience with Camp Y-Koda's nature education programs. After teaching high school biology, Mary switched to outdoor education with a focus on younger learners. Mary brings her creative juice to the YKNS and can be found sharing hands-on science and nature lessons through books, games, hikes, taxidermy models, painting projects, and experiments. Many diverse hobbies feed the creativity and include beekeeping, sailing, camping, watercolor painting and knitting. Mary lives with her husband and is a proud grandma to a growing group of future Camp Y-Koda campers.
ALISON
Environmental Educator at Maywood Site
Meet Alison! She is a teacher at the YKNS Maywood site. While new to the childcare & teaching setting, Alison has a Pyschology degree and previous experience working on a mental health study for the Army. She enjoys traveling and exploring, and can be found coloring or playing outside with her kids and husband. Her hobbies include playing softball, volleyball and swimming. She can't wait to work with all the children and families!
EMILY HOFFMANN
4K Teacher at Camp Y-Koda Site
Meet Emily! Emily is the NEW 4K Teacher for Camp Y-Kodas Nature School directly at the Camp Y-Koda site. She is ecstatic for this new adventure! Emily has two years of teaching a 4K class with five years total in teaching. She enjoys camping, hiking and playing outdoors with her children and husband. Emily is looking forward to the school year ahead and working with your family this year!
Tomas Ward
4K Naturalist at Maywood Site
Tomas Ward is an environmental stewardship hobbyist and professional with an eclectic background in ecological research, youth development, home improvement trades and writing. He joined the outdoor education staff at Camp Y Koda in Spring of 2026. He has an off-grid art space known as the teahouse in the kettle moraine country near Cascade, WI. In his spare time Tomas enjoys kayaking, yard work and reading novels.