Our Mission

Our Roots

In May 2018, my childhood best friend, Valerie Hart Warner, and I, Kate Reed, took a leap after a year of brainstorming and discussing the “What ifs.” Both of us have small children and a passion for the natural world. We both grew up similarly, in a rural town surrounded by opportunities for outdoor wonder and play. While witnessing our own personal growth through meditation, yoga, and mindfulness practices we decided that there was a need to share our knowledge with others by bringing them back into the world of Mother Nature, the best playground ever created.

Wonder & Grow: Mindful Nature Experience, Inc. was born!

Our mission is:

Wonder & Grow: Mindful Nature Experience ignites a sense of wonder while growing their scientific understanding and connection with the natural world through curiosity-driven exploration and mindfulness practices.

Oh, the wonder we did create! In late summer and early fall (because of a Try This West Virginia mini-grant) we held eight classes in our region. Each class was about an hour long and opened with a yoga practice, followed by a hands-on activity such as building fox dens, sink or float, bubble making, or working with soil to create masterpieces. Our students also experienced time in reflection through nature journaling in our “sit spots” and closed with breathwork. Each class brought out new joy and creativity among our groups! We wrapped up our first season on October 2, and have been asked to return in the spring for eight additional classes. 

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