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
