Root & Trail

10/21/2026

One of the greatest privileges of this work is getting to know children over time.

Not just who they are when they arrive.

Who they are becoming.

When you spend months together, you learn what comes easily to each child

and what their “hard things” are

and the most helpful ways to scaffold, support, and encourage each of them.

And then, sometimes, you get to see it:

The pause that wasn’t there before. 🌱

The words they couldn’t find before. 🌱

The risk they wouldn’t take before. 🌱

The apology they weren’t ready to make before. 🌱

A little more awareness. A little more confidence. A little more ability to navigate something genuinely difficult. 🌱

And, yes, sometimes, five minutes later, the may be struggling with the very same thing again.

That doesn’t diminish what happened.

That doesn't erase the deep root growth under the surface.

Growth isn’t a straight line.

These kids inspire me so much! 💗

Not because they get everything right, but because I get to watch them keep growing.

It’s at the very heart of why Root & Trail exists.

10/21/2026

See you guys there!

WHAT'S FRIDAY?!? IT'S TRUNK OR TREAT!!!

Come join us for our 5TH ANNUAL Trunk or Treat at 7 Senses 🥳🎃👻

✨️ Inclusive games and activities, an even bigger inflatable obstacle course than last year, face painting, the best treats (allergen-free options), and a chance to hang out with your favorite therapy team and make new friends! ✨️

Bring your friends, family, and ghoulish grins!

🍁 The waiting room will be available for calm down breaks.

10/20/2026

This weekend!

The dome is almost ready! Are you!? Join us next weekend for our 🎃 Open to all, potluck, fire and dancing!

10/19/2026

You want your child to have time outside.

You want them to have friends they see regularly.

Friends they actually spend time building friendships with, not just participating alongside in organized activities or sports.

You want them to build forts, make up games, wander around looking for interesting things, get bored, figure something out, disagree, work it out, and come home dirty.

The thing is, for a lot of us nowadays, somebody has to make all of that happen.

Find the other kids. Compare schedules. Pack the stuff. Drive somewhere. Supervise. Drive home.

And make sure you still have dinner figured out and other tasks done. 🫠

Kids in our groups get at least one day a week in, with minimal work on your end.

Of course, we can’t manufacture friendship.

But we can create some of the conditions that give it room to grow:

🍁the same children returning week after week
🍁plenty of time together
🍁a shared outdoor place
🍁interesting things to do
🍁freedom to play
🍁supportive adults nearby.

Sometimes all you really need to do is give them somewhere they can keep showing up.

10/19/2026

Root & Trail is still in its earliest days as a nonprofit, and we’re inviting our community to help build the foundation for the trail ahead.

Anyone who makes a gift before the end of 2026 will be recognized as a Founding Donor—one of the people who chose to invest in this community from the beginning.

Every gift, at any amount, helps make possible the kind of childhood and community we want more children to experience: belonging, connection with nature, and long, unhurried time to grow alongside their peers.

Learn more and give here: https://givebutter.com/foundingdonors

10/15/2026

In a good flow with Math? 🔔🔔🔔🕚 Time for Language Arts, hurry up!

Writing an exciting story and need to finish the good part? 🔔🔔🔔🕚 Time for lunch. Line up! Now!

Get out the door! Soccer practice is soon!

Are there margins somewhere in your child's life?

Space around the gotta-do's?

Some place on some day where they don't feel rushed to the next thing?

Do YOU have any margins?

I hope so 💗

They're invaluable.

10/14/2026

Caddisfly larvae says, "peek-a-boo!"

"Science is about cultivating a perpetual condition of wonder in the face of something that forever grows one step richer and subtler than our latest theory about it."
Richard Powers

10/14/2026

I don't want to have those conversations anymore. The ones where I call up a program or message a group leader ahead of time and start from scratch, asking questions to see whether it's something we can try. They're necessary, but extremely uncomfortable.

And when parents contact me to ask about our groups, I want to be a breath of fresh air - one of the people with whom these things are easy to discuss. Routine yet warmly received. Not shocking. Not weird. Not deflected.

Let's do things differently 💗

10/13/2026

When the group knows it's your favorite and makes sure you're always invited in -

and they literally couldn't care less if you play differently, if you can't always come, or if you might get worn out sooner than them and go home early.

When you come, you hear your name called, and they have a spot for you 💗

10/09/2026