Meet the Author Angela Hanscom of Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children
April 16 @ 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
$25 – $35
Thursday, April 16, 2026 | 6:30PM | GBC Gallery
6:30 PM – Arrivals & Refreshments
7:00 PM – Lecture & Q&A
This program is presented in partnership with Christ Church Preschool
$25/Educator or GBC Member | $35/Non Member
Join us for an inspiring evening with Angela Hanscom, pediatric occupational therapist and author of Balanced and Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children. In this 90-minute lecture followed by a Q&A, Hanscom will explore the vital role outdoor play has in fostering children’s physical, emotional, and cognitive development.
Discover why nature is the ultimate sensory experience, how movement and unstructured time outdoors build resilience, and why children need regular distance from the adult world. This talk is ideal for parents, educators, and anyone interested in the transformative power of nature in childhood.
About Angela Hanscom:
Angela Hanscom is a pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of TimberNook–an award-winning nature-based program that has gained international popularity. She holds a master’s degree in occupational therapy and an undergraduate degree in kinesiology (the study of movement) with a concentration in health fitness. Angela’s book, Balanced & Barefoot: How Unrestricted Outdoor Play Makes for Strong, Confident, and Capable Children (New Harbinger Press, 2016), discusses the effects of restricted movement and lack of outdoor playtime on overall sensory and motor development in children.
Angela keynotes conferences and conducts workshops for parents, educators, and clinicians all over the world. Awarded a “Hometown Hero” by Glamour magazine for her innovative work with TimberNook, Hanscom has also been a frequent contributor to The Washington Post’s “Answer Sheet” column, and has been featured on the NPR education blogs, Times of India, Children & Nature Network, Jerusalem Post, Huffington Post, CBC radio, DIY Network Blog, Johnson & Johnson TEDx, and MindShift. Angela also sits on the board for the International Association of Nature Pedagogy.
When Angela is not speaking about nature’s therapeutic benefits or training new TimberNook providers, she enjoys spending time with her husband Paul and three children in the rural town of Barrington, New Hampshire, where the concept behind TimberNook and Balanced & Barefoot were first born.
