361. Growing Wild With Ainsley Arment

What if the best thing we can give our kids isn’t a perfectly planned education, but a childhood that leaves room for wonder?
We’re joined by Wild + Free founder Ainsley Arment to talk about her new picture book, Grow Wild, My Child, and the philosophy behind a childhood rooted in nature, curiosity, story, and play. We explore Ainsley’s unexpected path to homeschooling, the origins of Wild + Free, and why wonder and rigor don’t have to compete.
We also dig into screens, AI, child-led learning, family culture, and the joy of following “contagious obsessions” wherever they lead.
Join us for a refreshing reminder that learning doesn’t need a worksheet to count.
Resources:
Connect with Ainsley on [email protected] and at Wild + Free
Find her new picture book, Grow Wild My Child, in the Brave Writer Book Shop
Registration is open now for Building Brave Writers: Experience and many other Brave Writer classes!
Start a free trial of CTCmath.com to try the math program that’s sure to grab and keep your child’s attention
Visit Julie’s Substack to find her special podcast for kids (and a lot more!)
Purchase Julie’s new book, Help! My Kid Hates Writing
Melissa’s books make great readalouds—and there are Darts for The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World.
Find community at the Brave Learner Home
Learn more about the Brave Writer Literature & Mechanics programs
Subscribe to Julie’s Substack newsletters, Brave Learning with Julie Bogart and Julie Off Topic, and Melissa’s Catalog of Enthusiasms
Sign up for our Text Message Pod Ring to get podcast updates and more!
Send us podcast topic ideas by texting us: +1 (833) 947-3684
Interested in advertising with us? Reach out to [email protected]
Connect with Julie:
Instagram: @juliebravewriter
Threads: @juliebravewriter
Bluesky: @bravewriter.com
Facebook: facebook.com/bravewriter
Connect with Melissa:
Website: melissawiley.com
Substack: melissawiley.substack.com
Instagram: @melissawileybooks
Bluesky: @melissawiley.bsky.social
Produced by NOVA