Our story begins here.
We didn’t plan to start a school.
In 2024, our family packed everything we owned into an RV and spent two years traveling the United States with our two boys, Bentley and Wilder. We drove through old growth forests, hiked red rock canyons, and walked along ocean coastlines. But more than anything, we watched our kids.
Away from screens, away from schedules, away from the structure of a traditional classroom, they became different children. More curious. More confident. More willing to try things, fail at things, and try again. A bug under a rock could hold their attention for twenty minutes. A creek could occupy an entire afternoon. They were calmer, more themselves, and more alive than we had ever seen them.
We came back to Michigan changed. Gabrielle had spent years in early childhood education as a teacher, a preschool director, and an in-home preschool owner, and she had always believed in the power of outdoor learning. But seeing it firsthand, watching it transform our own children, turned a professional belief into a personal conviction.
We found our land in Linden, close to the community we love, and decided to give other children what we watched nature give ours.
Linden Wood is built on this.
Nature isn't a backdrop for learning. It's the curriculum itself. Every trail, every season, and every handful of soil is an opportunity to discover, create, and grow.
1.
Nature is the classroom
There’s no such thing as bad weather
It’s all about dressing for it. With the right layers and gear, kids can stay warm, dry, and comfortable through rain, snow, cold, and sunshine. The weather shouldn’t keep us from getting outside.
2.
Children thrive when trusted. Given space to climb, build, create, and take healthy risks, they develop confidence, resilience, and independence that no structured lesson can replicate.
3.
Every child is capable
Kids learn by following their curiosity, getting their hands dirty, taking detours, and seeing where an idea leads. We make space for unhurried exploration, open-ended play, and the freedom to find their own way.
4.
Childhood needs room to roam
"I spent years in traditional early childhood settings. What I saw in my own boys outside changed everything I thought I knew about how children learn."
— Gabrielle DiPiazza, Founder
The heart of Linden Wood.
Gabrielle DiPiazza
Founder & Certified Nature Educator
With a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development and Learning and more than a decade of experience in licensed early childhood programs, Gabrielle has dedicated her career to understanding how young children learn, grow, and thrive. Her experience spans the classroom and beyond, as an early childhood teacher, preschool director, and owner of a licensed child care program.
Her understanding of childhood deepened when she and her family spent nearly two years traveling the country with their two young boys. From forests and mountains to coastlines and national parks, she watched her children learn through real-world exploration and saw how naturally curiosity, confidence, and connection grow when children have the freedom to engage with the world around them.
Combined with her professional background and certification in nature-based education, those experiences inspired Gabrielle to create something she felt was missing in her own community: a place where children have the time and space to play, wonder, take healthy risks, build confidence, and develop a lasting relationship with the natural world.
Linden Wood Nature School is the culmination of that vision, bringing together everything Gabrielle has learned as an educator, program director, nature educator, traveler, and mother to create a meaningful educational experience and community for families in Linden.
Burke DiPiazza
Co-Founder & Head of Operations
By day, Burke works as an Associate Creative Director for outdoor footwear and gear company Merrell, where his career is rooted in creativity, storytelling, and a shared love for the outdoors. Outside of his corporate role, he is a hands-on father, lifelong creative, and adventurer at heart.
At Linden Wood, Burke is the heart, hands, and creative force behind bringing the vision to life. From dreaming up spaces and solving problems to coordinating projects and overseeing the countless details happening behind the scenes, he has helped transform an idea into a place children can truly experience.
While Gabrielle brings the early childhood education and nature-based philosophy behind Linden Wood, Burke has an incredible ability to take that vision and ask, “How do we make this real?” His creativity and hands-on approach can be seen throughout the property, from the outdoor classroom and lodge to the trails and thoughtfully designed spaces children will explore.
As a father of two young boys, creating Linden Wood is personal for Burke, too. He has poured his heart, creativity, and countless hours into building a place where children can get outside, take healthy risks, discover what they’re capable of, and experience the kind of adventurous childhood he and Gabrielle want for their own children.
Linden Wood may have started as a dream, but Burke is a big part of the reason that dream has become a reality.
Lauren Lewandowski
Assistant Director & Nature Educator
Lauren holds a Bachelor's degree in Athletic Training and a Master's degree in Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management. She has spent the last seven years as an Athletic Trainer, caring for all ages of active people. Her career has centered around helping others physically and psychologically, being someone others can turn to as a source of support or advocacy.
As a mom to two young boys, Lauren has found herself thinking more and more about what children truly need to thrive. She believes children are incredibly capable, resilient, and unique. That we should take time to discover their personal gifts while giving them the tools they need to grow.
She loves the idea of children learning through movement and real-life experiences, in tandem with strong foundations in literacy, math, and science. Having patience for a child's independence and exploration is extremely valuable in a time when the world is in a rush.
Being outdoors, staying active, getting dirty, and feeling connected to a community aren't extras to her-they're an important part of childhood.
Lauren is excited for the opportunity to learn and grow, right alongside the children at Linden Wood
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Come experience Linden Wood!
See where our philosophy comes to life, meet the people behind it, and get a feel for what your child’s days could look like here.