Our Story
WildRoots was born out of the isolation we experienced as parents of infants and toddlers during the height of the pandemic. We saw a need for a child-centered, nature-based opportunity for building community and supporting children's right to play outside. The connections we have made through WildRoots have already transformed our lives and the lives of our children. We have created a community with a shared vision to preserve the time and space for play in nature.
We are part of a growing movement in the field of early childhood education, prioritizing crucial experiences for children's healthy development: play and exploration, connections with nature, nurturing relationships, and a strong sense of belonging. Recently, early childhood education has been moving dangerously away from research-based practices, instead pushing down elementary curricula and developmentally inappropriate expectations into preschool, toddler, and infant spaces. This deeply misguided idea that earlier is somehow better is cutting our children off from the types of experiences that truly support learning and development. We are on a mission to advocate for what children need and deserve, and our voices will be stronger together. Join us!
Founder: Anneke Huyghebaert
Anneke began working with young children during high school, in an after-school program. She discovered her passion for child-centered, play-based learning at the University of Vermont, where she earned a B.S. in Early Childhood Special Education and was introduced to the Reggio Emilia Approach at the campus lab school. After several years teaching preschool and completing an M.Ed., Anneke became a stay-at-home parent and then a homeschooling parent. These experiences have further solidified her dedication to play advocacy and nature-based education. Anneke has always had a deep personal bond with nature, something that comes from her own childhood in rural Vermont. While she is rooted in the Green Mountains, she has fallen in love with the coastal environments of southern New England.