Pardon our appearance as we make
upgrades to our website!
Willowdale is a nature-based community rooted in connection, where children are free to explore and caregivers feel supported. What began as a personal need has grown into a shared space for families to slow down, reconnect, and belong.
our story
In 2022, after a long season of grief and pandemic isolation, I found myself craving something unfamiliar. Life felt unsteady; one moment I was making breakfast, the next I was crying in the car. Motherhood felt lonely, and self-isolation was getting old. Steadily, like the arrival of spring, I felt a quiet pull to step outside my comfort zone and carry my grief with me instead of hiding it.
So I did. My kids and I started attending a nature program 45 minutes away, and some confidence crept through and I thought, “I could do this.”
Long story short, we brought our Tinkergarten playgroup to Manchester and from that experience, Willowdale was born. What began as a personal need has grown into a thoughtful, community-centered space where families come together to explore, connect, and grow. Willowdale is a place where children are trusted, caregivers are supported, and everyone is welcomed into a shared experience rooted in connection to each other and the natural world.
I created Willowdale because I needed it and it turns out, people like you did, too. I’m so glad you found us.
With Gratitude,
Steph
Willowdale Founding Director
Our Mission
Willowdale is committed to creating safe, inclusive spaces where children and and their families can immerse in nature and connect with their peers.
our vision
We envision a world where every child can freely explore, learn, and grow in nature fostering curiosity, connection and lifelong respect for the land and each other
Diversity, Equity + Inclusion
We are committed to nurturing a community where families of every background and ability feel seen, valued and welcome. We proudly affirm LGBTQIA+ individuals, champion equity and design experiences that are accessible for all. Willowdale does not unlawfully discriminate internally (in its administrative and program operations) or externally (in provision of services) on the basis of race, political orientation, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, or mental or physical disability or any other status prohibited by applicable law.
Land Acknowledgement
At Willowdale, we are grateful to live, explore, and play on unceded land that has been stewarded by Indigenous Peoples for generations. Our experiences take place on N’dakinna—the traditional, ancestral, and unceded homeland of the Abenaki, Pennacook, and Wabanaki Peoples, past and present. We honor with gratitude the land, the waterways, and the alnobak (people) who have cared for N’dakinna across generations. We recognize that Indigenous presence is not part of history, it is vibrant and ongoing. We walk, learn, and grow together in shared spaces, and we commit to celebrating, respecting, and including Indigenous Peoples in the communities where we live, learn, and explore.
