"Let your light shine." Matthew 5:16
Mission Statement
New Life Preschool and Microschool is a ministry of New Life UMC that partners with parents to provide a loving, nurturing and developmentally appropriate environment for children ages two through fifth grade to grow to their fullest potential emotionally, socially, spiritually, physically, creatively, and cognitively.
The teachers of New Life Preschool and Microschool make every effort to build their lessons around developmentally appropriate practices by
At New Life, we believe children learn best when they are actively involved in their own learning—when they are curious, engaged, moving, creating, wondering, and playing. Play is not something that happens after the "real learning” is finished. The play itself is the learning. When children build a bridge with blocks, create a pretend restaurant, investigate something they find in the woods, or work together to solve a problem, they are developing the very skills that will serve them for years to come: thinking critically, communicating, collaborating, persevering, solving problems, managing emotions, and making connections.
Our classrooms are intentionally designed to give children time and space for this kind of meaningful play. Teachers observe closely, listen to children's ideas, and then extend their thinking with thoughtful questions, new materials, and experiences that build on what naturally interests them. A child who is deeply engaged in building isn't simply "playing with blocks”—she is exploring balance, spatial relationships, planning, persistence, and cause and effect. A group of children creating an imaginary world is practicing language, negotiation, creativity, perspective-taking, and social problem-solving. These moments may look simple from the outside, but they are rich with learning.
We want children to leave New Life not only knowing more, but loving to learn. We believe childhood is a time to build a strong foundation of curiosity, creativity, and connection—and that children don't have to give up the joy of childhood in order to be prepared for what comes next. In fact, when children have the opportunity to learn through meaningful play, they are building the skills that will help them become capable and confident learners long after they leave our classrooms.
At New Life Preschool and Microschool, our outdoor spaces are an extension of the classroom. With nearly 15 acres to explore, children have room to run through open fields, roll down grassy hills, follow nature trails, investigate the creek, and create their own adventures in our forest playground. This is more than a beautiful setting for play. It is an environment filled with opportunities to explore, ask questions, solve problems, and discover how the world works.
Time in nature invites learning that is difficult to replicate indoors. As children climb, balance, collect, build, observe, and investigate, they develop physical coordination, strengthen language and problem-solving skills, and learn to work alongside others. A walk along the trail might lead to questions about animal tracks or changing seasons. A fallen branch might become the beginning of a building project, while a collection of leaves, stones, and acorns can inspire sorting, counting, comparing, and imaginative play. As children grow, these same experiences can lead to deeper investigations, scientific observations, creative projects, and connections to what they are learning in the classroom.
Outdoor experiences also give children opportunities to develop independence and confidence. They learn to assess challenges, try new approaches, work through frustration, and experience the satisfaction of figuring something out for themselves. Whether navigating uneven terrain, collaborating on a building project, or following a question about something they have discovered, children practice skills that serve them well far beyond the outdoors.
Our commitment to outdoor learning, environmental awareness, and active childhoods is reflected in our Virginia Naturally School recognition through the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources and Active RVA School Award through Sportsbackers. We are proud to provide children with opportunities to connect with nature, move their bodies, and develop an understanding of the world around them.
At New Life, we believe children benefit from both thoughtful guidance and the freedom to explore. Across our preschool and elementary homeschool microschool, our outdoor environment gives children room to grow, make discoveries, develop independence, and build a meaningful connections.
Children need opportunities to experience materials with their whole bodies. At New Life, messy play is a natural part of our classrooms and outdoor spaces, giving children the freedom to explore materials without a predetermined outcome. Open-ended materials invite children to scoop, pour, mix, squeeze, build, take apart, and begin again.
There is a kind of learning that happens when children are free to experiment without worrying about keeping things neat or getting the "right” result. They notice how materials feel, how they change, what happens when two things are combined, and what they can do with them. They make observations, test ideas, solve problems, and often discover something they did not expect. At New Life, we see this kind of hands-on exploration not as a break from learning, but as an important part of how children learn best. We encourage families to send children to school dressed and ready to get messy each day!
Our goals are to provide a strong educational foundation for children and to prepare them for kindergarten and the world beyond. We accomplish this by providing an enriching, caring, and creative environment where children learn through the joy and adventure of hands-on play. These stimulating experiences offer children the opportunity to explore their environment and practice skills within a classroom setting, shared with their peers. In a loving, Christian atmosphere, we guide children to reach their full potential to become problem solvers who are self-reliant, confident, respectful, compassionate and responsible. We are sensitive to developing each unique child, and we seek to instill a lifelong love of learning.
We desire to carry out these goals through standards of excellence which include:
900 Old Hundred Rd Midlothian, Virginia 23114
New Life United Methodist Church
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