The Family Behind Hillside House
Hello, neighbour! Welcome to our hillside home! We are the Bartlett Family. We are blessed to parent two curious, creative boys who teach us about perspective, compassion and curiosity every day. We get to accompany our wonderful children on this beautiful adventure of making sense of the world. As a team, we have spent time preparing our property to be a welcoming, inclusive space. We have been working diligently to plant trees, shrubs and native plants so that our property contributes to a healthy local ecosystem. We have built structures around the yard for play, gardening, and raising chickens. This year we are adding heritage turkeys to the homestead! We are inspired by the land and the wild that shares our little property. There is much to learn from nature and from each other as neighbours and friends. We have decided to invite others to join the adventure as we play and learn outdoors...
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Welcome!
Hillside House hosts an inclusive community that chooses to play, connect, create and explore outdoors. Hillside activities take place outside on the land that surrounds our house in the countryside of Pembroke, Ontario. Bordered by woods & fields and influenced by the changing seasons, we choose to live and play in a way that connects us to the land and grows community with other people.
Meet the
Program Coordinator
Bonjour! My name is Vikki Bartlett ( She/Her)
Creative and neurodivergent, I am an outdoor enthusiast who enjoys cooking, gardening, crafting, sunsets and stargazing, hiking, camping, waterfalls, and being in the water most of all! Four decades of outdoor exploring keeps me going back for more! The more time I spend in creation, the more compelled I feel to connect with the Creator. How awesome! There is so much beauty and diversity and wonderful mystery all around us. What a privilege it is to share this joyful learning adventure with others!
I am a Registered Early Childhood Educator who graduated from Vanier College in Montreal in 2002. I worked in daycare, preschool, and summer programs for a decade before putting my profession on hold to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces as a medical technician for 8 years. I am proud of the way that I served in the military. And I am delighted to be back to early childhood education again!
Inspired by the Forest and Nature School movement in Canada, I enrolled in the Outdoor Practitioners Course with the Child and Nature Alliance of Canada in 2020. I am proud to be among Canada's certified Forest and Nature School Practitioners. I love facilitating play and learning that is child-led and inspired by the wild around them. Play is a powerful strategy for big and little humans alike for connection, regulation, and learning. Who wants to play outdoors?!
Building community is a way of life that motivates my goals and plans. I have had the privilege of being involved with Girl Guides, serving in children's ministries at church, supporting missionary outreach, volunteering as a youth Outdoor Adventure & Expeditions Guide, and serving as a civilian ground SAR Tech looking for missing persons. I love the idea of creating a "village" where we can grow together with support and safety. I am passionate about inclusion for persons with special needs. I have spent the last few years advocating for support and accommodations for individuals in my own family as well as for others at our local church. Everyone matters.
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I am beginning my journey of learning more about the
Algonquin-Anishinaabe people on who's unceded land our
home sits. I have much to learn. And much to be grateful for!
Our "homesteading" story is about
connections; getting to know this land, discovering the
native plants and wildlife, and learning how we can invest in
the land in a way that includes others and builds relationships.
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I look forward to playing, connecting, creating and learning outdoors with you! - Vikki
Meet the
Grounds & Maintenance Manager
Matthew Bartlett is a dedicated father and an outdoorsman & hunter who enjoys woodworking and spending time on the land. Matt is a CAF veteran who served as a medical technician after being a civilian volunteer Firefighter and First Responder. He usually works behind the scene but he sure does make lots happen! From mowing the lawn and removing snow, to building play structures or fences and taking care of the chickens, Matt is committed to taking care of the space where we play, learn, and grow. You will see him doing grounds keeping and maintenance, leading bushcraft sessions or tending the fire. Want to be part of the grounds projects? Pull up a log and come say "Hey!"
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