Lafayette Nature Center

300 Old Laramie Trail E, Lafayette, CO 80026

Thorne Nature Preschool will be based at the NEW Lafayette Nature Center beginning in June 2024! The Lafayette Nature Center, with its state-of-the-art nature programming space and nature play area, is designed to support nature connection for the whole community and will be home to the first custom-designed nature preschool facility in Colorado.

The Thorne Nature Preschool wing of the Lafayette Nature Center is the left hand section of the building.

A few exciting features of the new preschool facility include:

  • Innovative indoor and outdoor nature play features that are specifically designed to help young children develop their fine and gross motor skills – imagine an indoor bird nest and treehouse where children can complete an art project on a cold, rainy day; as well as a sledding hill, Strider bike course, and nature-themed swing and slide.

  • More than 3,000 square feet of covered outdoor space to support outdoor learning even when the weather is foul.

  • Sandpits, log structures, and loose parts that afford beloved on-going outdoor activities like digging, climbing, and building.

  • Landscaped spaces with vegetation that can be harvested and investigated for projects and learning.

The Lafayette Nature Center is adjacent to Coal Creek Open Space, which has been the program site for our Lafayette preschool since 2020. Our cherished outdoor classroom at Coal Creek has giant cottonwood groves, abundant flora and fauna, and year-round access to water exploration. These wild outdoor spaces are only a pinecone’s toss away from our new center!