First Roots - Wild Roots

08/24/2026

Before and after! Thanks to Patty D. for sharing her sweet sandbox with FRE! Re-location courtesy of Ms. Grace and her truck, and re-assembly and the British castle courtesy of Mr. Andy and Ms. Elena! ❤️🏰🪣🪏

08/24/2026

Three hours of love, elbow grease and landscaping expertise brought our three beloved trees home from FRU to FRE this Saturday - and our pollinator patch joined them! The dynamic duo (Jen K. and Simone O.) made it happen! We love the look and creating the close proximity for children to play near these beautiful pollinating plants that draw butterflies, dragonflies, bees and birds is a win for all!

It was a hard transition for the plants and trees given the mid-summer move, but our human waterers are at the ready to keep them going! May their roots go down…❤️🌳🐝

08/04/2026

First Roots -Wild Roots Essex is actively hiring for 2 qualified toddler teachers at our newly relocated-and expanded -5 STAR nature based early childhood program in Essex Junction. Located at 130 Maple St, next to the ADL middle school, we have the privilege of access to acres of rolling hills, trails, and wetlands in the “beyond”! In addition to the competitive and transparent compensation scale, FRWR offers 5 weeks of paid time off, professional coursework reimbursement, coaching, health, vision, dental, accident insurance, childcare discount, plus much more-not the least of which is a pair of Helly Hanson rain bibs to play in at work! And free pickleball lessons + court time with your colleagues!🥒🎾

Apply now at https://www.bewilder-vt.com/careers

First Roots Wild Roots is a 5 STAR, nature-based early education program with centers in Hinesburg and Underhill, Vermont. We believe in play-based, outdoor experiences that are appropriate to each child's developmental level.

07/30/2026

First Roots-Wild Roots Essex opened on July 13th (ahead of schedule) and with lots of room to grow into. Our new nest allows us more space to offer preschool classes (and accept Act 166) and has more than doubled our size (now 57) from our Jericho program (which previously served 22 families).

We will be hosting an Open House for new families with children of all ages in August. If you are interested, let us know in the RSVP link!

www.bewilder-vt.com/openhouse

07/23/2026

Our Beavers have been tending to the Full Plate Gardens at First Roots -Wild Roots! No nibbling just yet 🦫, but digging, watering with turkey basters, tickling roots and transplanting were all done by children. The sunshine, the rain and the good vibes are doing the rest!

Lydia and Dakota (our 2 Lead Seeds) have curated a welcome station with magnifying glasses, books and gloves to w**d with.

Our garden fence is taking a wee bit longer to install than we had hoped, but our landscaper Schuyler will be back later in the summer to finish. Once fenced, we will make full use of the little dry river bed that we created in the garden after discovering an active perimeter drain pipe down the hill. Let’s make a bridge over it! Build a mud kitchen! Make potions! It’s a true “hill farm” where children of all ages will be able to farm, play, pick, (wash up!), and eat!

And if you have friends who have a preschooler, let them know we have room for them too! FRWR has 1 full time PreK spot still open for Sept in Hinesburg! Email [email protected] to schedule a tour (and sample our harvest too. 🪏🫜🧑‍🌾

07/17/2026

We think it makes “sense” (5 actually…) to join us this Saturday, July 18th from 9-10:30AM for our PreK Open House in Hinesburg! We’ll have a campus tour, family friendly activities, a chance to chat with educators about how “risky play” helps build strong bodies, good decision making skills and good friendships. You’ll get to see our classrooms, learn about the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS), play in our natural playscapes - and learn about our “beyond”!

Reserve your spot here—>
www.bewilder-vt.com/openhouse
🍃

07/13/2026

Wonderful collaborative article by First Roots Essex Director, Elena Bourne and her team with Community Playthings! We met at a conference and they invited First Roots - Wild Roots to be a guest author!

Nature‑based learning gives infants and toddlers experiences that build sensory awareness, emotional regulation, and early language development.

07/12/2026

RSVP for our Hinesburg PreK Open House! We have just a few openings in our full time and part-time programs in Hinesburg this Sept, and we invite you to come and explore our campus, our classrooms, and unique playscapes with your child.

Find out why nature based learning and opportunities for risky play build lifelong skills in friendship, collaboration, executive functioning (ie decision making!)

Our Director, Maeg Booska, and her team will be here to guide you!

RSVP HERE 🍃—> www.bewilder-vt.com/openhouse