Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Baune.
Hi Hannah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I own a nature-based preschool in Lakeville, MN. We focus on children’s social and emotional regulation and development as we provide them with a truly play based setting where they are free to explore their interests both indoors and outdoors. We have 10 acres of space with different terrains, school chickens, a garden, water play and some amazing teachers. We have a 5:1 student to teacher ratio, which is half of what the state requires.
I started this concept when I wasn’t happy with my corporate job. I always had a passion for working with children, and many people questioned why I didn’t go into teaching. I always responded that it didn’t feel right to me to force children to sit at a desk all day, and I would be a terrible teacher because I couldn’t do it and I’d probably just let my children play outside all day. One day I came across an article describing Waldkindergartens, or German outdoor preschools. It called to me so much, and I never knew that there were others that felt the same way I did about children’s education. It started me down a path of research where I found others who believed in the same education model I did (at the time I didn’t even know what I believed was a legitimate philosophy!). I started looking into schools here in Minnesota, and didn’t come across any. I decided I’d take my business degree and start my own. It sounded like the perfect way to leave corporate America as well as a perfect way to start and grow a family. I started completing my master’s degree, searching for the perfect property and more preparations. In all, it took me 5 years and my entire life savings to get 10 Acre Wood started.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, most definitely not. The hardest part was getting the county and community on board. It’s always hard to do something “out of the box” and “abnormal” and other people, especially the government, don’t like that. I was met with MANY roadblocks from a local building, planning, township, licensing and other authorities. There were many times I almost quit and went back to my corporate life. My amazing husband encouraged me to push on, and thousands of dollars in “getting around red tape” as well as a year later, a failed site we had to abandon and more I was finally able to finish my school building and become licensed.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I spoke about this in the first question. Our teacher ratio is really one of our best qualities. I also noticed a lack of nature based options for children needing full-time and full-day care and was committed to providing those opportunities. We operate with hours of a typical childcare center. As far as I am aware I may be the only one in Minnesota doing this. We also serve organic meals and are committed to pricing ourselves in line with the average child care center. Our teachers have all been here since the beginning in 2019 (yes, despite the pandemic!) and have Master’s degrees, elementary ed degrees and many years of experience with the play-based preschool model. One of my staff, Ms. Jenn, won Early Childhood Educator of the Year award in 2021. The first person ever to receive this recognition!
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is providing a space where I know children are loved, well cared for and provided opportunities for exploration and learning at their pace and how they see fit–something I think is hard to come by in our current society. Respecting a child for who they are and how they learn as well as their desires is very important to me. I feel our children are often not treated as the small humans they are, and I wanted to create a space where they feel just as important as “big people” and know their ideas and feelings are valid and important.
Pricing:
- Full week $260
- 3 days $180
- 2 days $120
Contact Info:
- Website: 10acrewoodpreschool.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/10AcreWood
Image Credits
Headshot by Picture This! Photography
