Testimonials

Summer Camp

"Growing Roots Garden Camp was a true gift for our family.  My 3 year old now loves to talk about (and eat) rainbow swiss chard!  My 4.5 year old gained enough confidence to climb higher on a tree than ever before. My kids attended together this year and came home every day and recreated their activities.  This is the most meaningful urban garden experience to be had in the Bronx/Northern Manhattan.   I love hearing my pre-schooler describe parts of the garden and how to harvest different foods.  The kids were exposed to so many different vegetables and, literally, got their hands dirty harvesting the food they would eat for dinner. "-Jessica, Garden Camp parent

"Hannah Saunders and the Second Nature Garden Camp have been an absolutely amazing experience for our 4-year old and for our whole family. We signed up for camp during the COVID-19 pandemic with a lot of questions and anxiety, but Hannah and her team set up an incredible line of communication with parents with clear health & safety guidelines that were followed exactly and resulted in a safe summer for all of us. With all of that, Hannah made the camp a normal, fun experience for our kids. Our 4-year old loved every moment, from drop-off in the morning until pick-up in the afternoon and would have stayed longer if they could have. In fact, we originally only signed up for the first 2-week session but loved it so much we went back for the second 2-week session. We got to see the fun of the day in their artwork and the great vegetables from the garden that they harvested and brought home. This was an incredibly beneficial experience for our nature-loving city kid. Thank you, Hannah, for all that you did for us this summer!!"  -Emily, Garden Camp parent

"We sent both of our children to Growing Roots Garden Camp this summer. We are grateful that it ran despite an ongoing pandemic! The camp provided a sense of normalcy for two weeks to our children; beyond normalcy, they absolutely loved it. They came home after each day eager to tell us about the vegetables that they harvested. Hannah and the staff were very professional, and the communication from them was great even before the camp started. Since the session ended, our children have continued to show interest in gardening, enjoying visits to the rooftop garden at our building and the backyard garden at their grandparents' house. They have also been more willing to eat new vegetables, so hopefully that is a lifelong benefit! Choosing to send our kids to the camp was the best decision we made this summer." -Carl, Garden Camp parent

''My daughter loved it after the first day and insisted on staying late every day thereafter. Her favorite part had to be bringing home her harvest bag of veggies and eating them raw. This coming from a child who never eats her greens!" -Asa, Garden Camp Parent

Forest School

Hannah provides an opportunity for the kids to just BE in nature, exploring the outdoors and experiencing the changing of the seasons, all at their own pace in one of the most beautiful parks in NYC.  When I pick up my son from Forest School he is muddy and happy and is usually carrying some treasure in his hand, a special leaf or stick that he is excited to share.  I also love reading the summaries of the days events with the pictures sent after each class, we get a real window into the day’s adventures.  I can’t imagine a better start for a child’s life than to be immersed in the natural world, making small discoveries in the company of genuinely caring adults.  Hannah and Tom listen to my child and provide a calm presence in which he can get on with the important work playing and being himself .. I’m so grateful to have found this program !!    "- Anna, Forest School Parent

"I loved reading the notes of each day's activities, and my son truly loved every minute of Forest Camp! He was so excited each morning to go, and then so excited each afternoon to tell me everything he did." -Preston, Forest Camp Parent

"My daughter has completely come out of her shell after participating in Seed Pods Outdoor School. She comes home talking to me about the imaginative play and friends she made and I'm so grateful for her to have a first 'school' experience that is so positive and nurturing. I definitely see her more comfortable in nature, digging with sticks and picking up worms, which she never did before!" -Ayesha, Forest School Parent

"We have been thrilled with Seed Pods. Our child is naturally timid, yet he has thrived and blossomed through his experiences in forest school. Through imaginative play and carefully guided outdoor experiences from the teachers, the students learn about nature and the world around them. We appreciate the daily emails that Hannah sends describing the adventures of the day. Those emails are often a starting point that help our child tell us all about his experiences. This has been an exceptional experience for our three year old." -Lindsay, Forest School Parent

"Our daughter loved her Second Nature classes and was always smiling and totally engaged when it was time to pick her up. I loved that she was outdoors experiencing nature in all weather. The class braved (and had a blast in) snowbanks and rain, finally making it all the way to sunny spring! It was great to have a safe and joyful activity, especially during Covid times. " -Emily, Forest School Parent

Parent/Child Classes

"The enrichment happens from getting to bond, chat, and troubleshoot with other caregivers and experiencing nature with our children in a supported, semi-structured, and enriched way - the pre and post-emails, the photo memories, the unexpected friendships. The accountability to get out and experience the forest in a community setting is really enriching, and so are the quiet moments when we stroll away with our little ones and see the beautiful day. It's easy to hide out in the apartment with our budding New Yorkers but there is magic waiting to be discovered out there in the forest and the big world! We live in such a beautiful, fascinating place."  -Sam, Inwood Roots Parent

"We have loved being in Inwood Roots Class. Every week I feel a sense of deepening community among the parents and kids. Together, and with Hannah's gentle guidance, we have explored some truly beautiful places, opened our minds to the possibilities of curiosity in our lives, told stories, sang songs, and learned from nature and from each other. We have faced weather challenges (like heavy rain) together, and reflected on the experience. I know Hannah's leadership and vision will continue to impact families, children and adults alike, and I am so grateful."

-Lauren, Parent

"We truly love Second Nature Outdoor School! Bonding with my 2 year old through adventures together in the woods feels like magic! Nature lets time be time and provides a safe environment to listen, to see, to feel. It reminds me of the parent I’d like to be in our stressful everyday life!

Classes are lead professionally with interesting information about our regional vegetation, are well structured through songs, snack- and story times and daily topics, yet the classes are child led to offer a stimulating space to explore, wonder and address questions.

A nature journal, functioning as real time diary is being written and designed by every parent-child "team“ with instruments nature provides us with that day! 

The group works together, individuals trying to be helpful and supportive with each other: a strong hand reaching out to help someone up a mountain or kind words of encouragement in moments of hesitation."

-Celina, Parent

"Since my 2.5 yr old has started Hannah’s Second Nature Outdoor School, she is much more interested in going “off road”, through the grass, up the hill, seeking out trees and rocks to climb instead of sticking just to the sidewalk. She is becoming more comfortable with her outdoor landscape, often picking up leaves, sticks, acorns or rocks to study or bring home. Hannah is warm, knowledgeable and truly gifted at giving city kids an outdoor experience they would not necessarily get." 

-Lucia, Parent

"I like being outside in the forest for a longer period of time than usual and see my daughter get used to it. She loves the social aspect and having her friends there (and misses them when they are not)!

-Sarah, Parent