Our Story
The truth is, children learn through PLAY. They learn when they are feeling joyful and happy, when they can move, and when they can explore. Their play IS their work. We don’t have to do this in a tight, clinical room, like I have done in almost every setting I worked in for 25 years. We can run and play and swing and interact with nature and animals, all while working on therapeutic goals, with the same professional experience behind it. One day, way back in 2017, I was working with a group of toddlers in the early intervention program. In that particular session, we planned to get out of the private practice clinical environment, and head to the woods for a picnic. I was co-treating with a Developmental Therapist that day. We took a short hike on a trail through the woods, and stopped for a picnic near the pond. The toddlers were engaged, enthusiastic, and motivated. While I had taught the sign language for “butterfly” many times while reading books, I noticed that seeing a real butterfly and modeling the sign was so much more meaningful. I noticed that nature was helping both me and the children with the therapeutic process. Well, that’s when it hit me. There is a better way. Through discovering the wonders that nature had on my sessions, I started to wonder if animals could also positively impact the way my therapy was conducted. That’s when I started looking for a place that could house animals while also being in tune with nature. In the upcoming months, I stumbled on this giant, neglected barn on a beautiful property in rural Homer, Illinois. It was 11,000 square feet, and wheelchair accessible! It had room for indoor swings, a side barn for animals, our 22 foot pirate ship, and even a 1000 square foot indoor clinic and kitchenette with private therapy rooms (yet to be built). The dream materialized, and here we finally are.