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Santa's Village (Toddler Edition!)
Guest Blogger Series Elves reporting for duty! I recently visited Santa’s Village in Jefferson, NH with my spouse and our two toddlers,...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Dec 13, 20244 min read


Holiday Prep with Kiddos
The holiday season is a time for family bonding and creating special memories. We believe in involving kids in holiday preparations as a...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Dec 7, 20243 min read
2024 Winter Gear Guide
Despite it likely being in the 70's this week, I like to send along a winter gear guide, so you have what you need when those chilly...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Nov 3, 20243 min read
Fall Focus 2024
We gathered with new and old friends yesterday at Stark Park for our first day of our Fall Focus series and it was pure magic, as always!...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Sep 26, 20241 min read


Hot Weather tips + mid-month update!
The first major heat wave of the “pre-summer” season is upon us! Prepare for the scorcha’! 🌞 Here are some fun tips for staying cool and...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Jun 18, 20242 min read


Spring 2024 Reflections
This Spring, we practiced and nurtured creativity through what we do best; nature-based, child-led play through classes that are...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
May 31, 20242 min read


Mother's Day
Mother's Day, like any "holiday," is not the most inclusive of days. While it's "supposed" to be a day of celebration, many of us are...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
May 12, 20242 min read
"Are You Equipped? Essential Gear for Extended Outdoor Play"
We often share about tools needed for extended outdoor play during Winter but as we enter the muggy, muddy and buggy months of Spring and...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Apr 12, 20243 min read
Earth Day: How to Enjoy Nature Responsibly"
Each of you reading this already knows we encourage outdoor play and learning but, how can we do this while also teaching explorers...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Apr 9, 20242 min read


"Two Tips to Embrace Messy Play
Let's talk about messy play. I know this may be hard to believe considering we offer classes designed around making a mess, but I'm not...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Mar 28, 20242 min read


Life lately
As we wake up to a fresh coat of snow on this first Saturday of spring 2024, we reflect on the highs and lows this week brought us! We...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Mar 23, 20242 min read


Kids doing kid stuff!
This week we built like beavers using loose parts, explored ice and mud and celebrated one whole year of nature play as Willowdale with...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Feb 24, 20241 min read


Explore the benefits of repetitive behavior during play
This week we learned about the power of repetition during our play session as we "pecked" our way through recycled materials, pretending...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Feb 8, 20241 min read


Nurturing empathy through nature play
In celebration of Groundhogs Day upcoming this Friday, explorers and guides worked together this week to create cozy dens for pretend...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Jan 31, 20241 min read


Playful Pathways: Developing Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Abilities through Play
Explorers AND guides were excited to get out and play this week in newly fallen snow in temps much more pleasant than last week! We've...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Jan 24, 20241 min read


Winter Nature Play Persistence: Discovering Tools for Enduring Outdoor Play
As we trekked through the snowy hills of Stark Park for our first Winter play session this week, explorers and grown-ups practiced using...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Jan 18, 20241 min read


Setting Realistic Expectations for Outdoor Play during the Winter Season
Let's talk about outdoor winter play for a bit and keep things real. Yesterday you may have seen families posting about ALL the fun they...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Jan 8, 20242 min read


Cooking with Toddlers: Easy Tips and Tricks for a Fun and Safe Experience
Last week on a beautiful December morning we met at Stark Park for a tea party with our forest friends. Each explorer painted a sugar...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Dec 20, 20233 min read


Festive, animal friendly way to "deck the trails" this holiday season.
You've heard of "decking the halls" but, have you heard of "decking the trails?" Willowdale families are participating in this fun...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Dec 13, 20231 min read


How to Show Support for Your Jewish Friends During Hanukkah
Many of our family and friends are celebrating the first day of Hanukkah today. The Jewish festival of lights is celebrated for 8 days...
Stephanie Watson Yaeger
Dec 7, 20232 min read
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