LYNN — A new preschool is coming to the city.
Cairn Hill Nature Preschool is scheduled to open after Labor Day at Camp Lion where youngsters will have access to Spring Pond and 70 acres of open space.
“During our research we found there are only about 10 preschool centers in Lynn so we think there’s a great need,” said co-founder Margaret Ris.
The opening of the 2,100-square-foot Lynn campus represents an expansion by Cairn Hill Educational Collaborative from Malden and Somerville.
They will face competition from more than a dozen childcare providers including: Teddy Bear Daycare, Greater Lynn YMCA Building Blocks, Busy Bee Nursery School, Little Theatre School Nursery, Lynn Head Start Day Care, and the Salvation Army Kids Club, according to care.com.
But Ris said Carin Hill stands out because the classrooms abut a nature reserve.
“We will be one of the few to offer so much open space,” she said.
Tuition is charged on a sliding scale based on income. The lowest rate is $185 weekly up to the full price of $375.
“We really want to work with all Lynn families,” Ris said.
The school’s curriculum is inspired by Waldorf Education, a worldwide educational movement that emphasizes the child’s experience to foster a lifelong joy of learning, Ris said.
“We will offer rich academics that will prepare them for kindergarten,” she said.
In 1952, the Lynn Lions Club established Camp Lion to oversee the property and determine the parcel’s best uses. It was founded when the Girl Scouts needed a place they could use, and volunteers cleared brush, planted trees, developed trails, and built buildings.
Co-founder Cheryl Dressler said research points to the cognitive benefits of attending a nature preschool.
“Being outdoors provides a wonderful context for inquiry-based and STEM learning,” Dressler said in a statement.
