Millennial parents say they want to give their kids a ’90s childhood—a childhood of fort building, bug hunting, ice cream on summer days, and playing until the streetlights come on.
But here’s the thing…
We have to be the ones who bring it back.
We have to stop filling every hour.
Stop hovering over every adventure.
Stop being afraid of dirt, scraped knees, boredom, and a little independence.
Send them outside.
Let them build the fort.
Let them catch the bugs.
Let them get filthy.
Let them be bored long enough to invent something.
Let them play without an adult directing every minute.
We can’t recreate a ’90s childhood while parenting like it’s 2026.
If we want childhood back, we have to be brave enough to give it back to them.
The Way Back Project
The Way Back Project is a grassroots forest school bringing children and families into nature year-round.
Through real tools, hands-on skills, and child-led play, we reconnect childhood to wonder, freedom, and the wild—accessible for all. #StatenIsland
08/15/2026
There’s something powerful about women gathering in the woods—not to accomplish more, but to remember how to simply be.
This fall, our Rewilding Women’s Circle returns with two hands-on gatherings rooted in old skills, nature, play, and connection.
🔥 September 20 | Fire + Elderberry Brew
Gather around the fire as we make fresh elderberry syrup from scratch, just in time for cold & flu season.
🌿 October 18 | Woodland Broom / Besom Making
Gather fallen twigs and grasses, learn simple lashing techniques, and create a rustic woodland broom to bring home.
Each gathering also includes guided meditation, breathwork, community circle, and space to slow down, reconnect, play & simply be.
No experience needed. No pressure to be anything or anyone.
Just women.
The woods.
Our hands.
And a little remembering.
$25 exchange | 10 AM–12 PM
Come back to your wild. 🌲
08/14/2026
FALL IN THE FOREST IS HERE. 🍂🌲
Registration is opening for our Fall Forest School programs!
This season, there’s a place in the woods for everyone—from our youngest explorers taking their first steps into Forest School, to older kids ready to roam farther, build independence, master real skills, and get their hands on real tools.
🌲 Family Forest School | All Ages
Slow down, play, explore, and reconnect in the woods—together.
🪢 Modern Bushcrafters Club | Ages 7–12 | Drop-Off
Real tools. Power drills. Knots. Shelters. Skill-building—and plenty of PLAY.
🌿 Forest Beginners | Ages 2–7 | Homeschoolers
A playful, child-led introduction to Forest School.
🧭 Forest Pathfinders | Ages 8–12+ | Homeschoolers
More independence. Bigger adventures. Deeper exploration.
All of our programs are rooted in the same belief:
Children deserve time.
Children deserve trust.
Children deserve PLAY.
And everyone deserves a place in nature.
🍂 Six-week fall semesters begin in October.
Come find your way back with us. 🌲
Please be patient as we wait for our new IEN number for NON PROFIT! Registration opening soon.
08/07/2026
⭐️Volunteer Spotlight⭐️
For the past five years, Assatta Gonzalez has worked as a STEM educator and Education Director at a local makerspace in New York City. Throughout her career, she has been passionate about creating hands-on, engaging learning experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, and confidence in young people.
Assatta is a huge believer in prioritizing play, time outdoors, and adventure. She’s an avid hiker, and one of her greatest joys is sharing that love of nature with her little one. Together, they’ve summited mountains, climbed frozen waterfalls, and spent countless days exploring the outdoors.
She wanted to join The Way Back Project because its mission centers on helping people reconnect with themselves, each other, and the natural world. She believes meaningful experiences outside can build resilience, confidence, and community.
Assatta is looking forward to contributing to such an inspiring mission and helping create opportunities for more people to experience the joy, growth, and sense of belonging that can come from spending time outdoors.
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Location
Category
Address
Staten Island, NY
10301