Our Mission
Here at Bramblewild, we aim to garner a play-based education in a woodland environment for children ages 3-10, with a focus on developing a connection to our local ecosystem and their role within it. Through self-directed experiences with plants, animals, fungi, water, soil and each other, we intend to foster a life-long respect for our environment and a strong sense of adventure.
“Play is nature’s way of teaching children to solve their own problems, control their impulses, modulate their emotions, see from others’ perspectives, negotiate differences, and get along with others as equals. There is no substitute for play as a means of learning these skills.”
— Peter Gray, Free to Learn
Lesley Martin
Founder and Forest Leader
I grew up wild in Fair Haven: playing in the woods, riding bikes and building secret forts. These childhood experiences were instrumental in developing my sense of adventure, which carried me across the country and the world. I am informed and inspired by hiking national parks out west, snowboarding in Jackson Hole, teaching English in Paris and riding my bike over the French Alps. These travels are now followed by my biggest adventure: raising three small people.
I have been teaching a wide range of ages since 2011 and leading in outdoor education for over seven years. I have always felt that I learned more from my students and that we all learn more about ourselves and our world when immersed in nature. We are wild. Children know this.