In 1967 Trudie Pratt wrote: “The idea of starting an OutdoorEducation Center came to me after a group of four year olds and their teachers came to visit us from New York City. When the children got out of their cars, they flew in every direction, like caged birds suddenly freed. They ran up Mount Tom and Rolled down.They stood on the bridge watching the Aspetuck River rippling over stones…..making us aware of our very special place which we could share with the children of our town and other in the surrounding communities as well as children from New York City.”
Over the last two years I have been fortunate enough, time and time again, to experience the same thoughts that Trudie had when she and Eliot began the center so long ago. I’m amazed when Dylan (5)observes the movement of a spider on the tiniest of spider webs, or as Nathan (7) and Jack (7) unleash the creativity and energy that has been bottled up inside of them. I stand alongside them as we squish our toes together in the mud. I marvel how observant Ben (5), Molly(4), and Lizzy (5) have become as they immerse all of their senses into the natural world around them.
The support of the Greater New Milford community enables us to continue connecting children of all ages with the Natural World.
