Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Ford.
Hi Samantha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Green Garden has always believed that childhood deserves more.
What began as a small home daycare, 14 years ago then moved to a small child development center and has now grown into a multi-campus organization serving hundreds of children and families across Southeast Michigan. While we’ve grown in size, our mission has remained the same: to create environments where children are respected as capable, curious, and deserving of a childhood filled with play, exploration, and meaningful relationships. Erica Kral is our founder and she started Green Garden for her son.
As Chief Operating Officer, my role has evolved alongside the organization. Over the last 10 years, I’ve had the opportunity to help shape everything from daily operations and staff development to curriculum, community partnerships, and long-term vision. I love building systems that allow great educators to do what they do best—focus on children.
One of the things I’m most proud of is that we’ve never allowed growth to change who we are. Instead, we’ve used it as an opportunity to reach more families while continuing to invest in the quality of our classrooms, our teachers, and our community. Whether we’re creating outdoor learning environments, organizing free community events like Mud Day, partnering with local organizations through service projects, or simply helping a child build confidence one small moment at a time, every decision comes back to a simple question: “Is this good for children?”
Today, Green Garden is more than a childcare center. We’re a community built around the belief that children learn best through connection, curiosity, and real-life experiences. Watching that vision continue to grow—and seeing the impact it has on families every day—is what continues to inspire me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not. Like most organizations that have been around for many years, we’ve experienced our share of challenges.
We’ve navigated everything from flooding and facility issues that closed schools to the uncertainty of COVID-19, shifting regulations, staffing shortages, and the difficult decisions that come with closing campuses while ensuring families and employees continued to feel supported. None of those moments were easy, but each one forced us to ask how we could come out stronger than before.
One lesson I’ve learned is that growth rarely happens when everything is going well. It happens when you’re willing to adapt, make difficult decisions, and stay focused on your mission even when circumstances change.
Some of our biggest challenges have actually led to some of our proudest accomplishments. During and after COVID, we reimagined what childcare could look like. We expanded our outdoor classrooms, invested in stronger leadership development, created enrichment opportunities that connected children to their communities, and continued advocating for higher-quality early childhood education. We believe childcare should be about much more than supervision—it should be a place where children build confidence, relationships, problem-solving skills, and a genuine love of learning.
Advocating for young children is another challenge that never really ends. Early childhood education is often underestimated, even though it’s one of the most important investments we can make. Part of our work is helping families and our community understand that these early years shape everything that comes next.
Looking back, I wouldn’t describe the road as smooth, but I would describe it as meaningful. Every obstacle has reinforced why this work matters and strengthened our commitment to creating exceptional experiences for children, families, and educators.
As you know, we’re big fans of Green Garden Child Development Center. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Green Garden, we aren’t trying to create children who simply know their ABCs a little earlier. We’re trying to help raise adults who are curious, resilient, kind, and capable.
We believe the future will demand something different than it has in the past. Information has never been more accessible. What will set tomorrow’s adults apart isn’t how early they memorized facts—it’s their ability to think critically, communicate clearly, solve problems, adapt to change, work with others, and continue learning throughout their lives.
That’s why our classrooms look different.
You’ll see children building forts, climbing trees, preparing meals, caring for gardens, taking responsible risks, serving their community, negotiating disagreements, asking questions, creating inventions, and spending hours outside. You’ll see teachers coaching children through conflict instead of solving every problem for them. You’ll see children developing emotional regulation alongside literacy, empathy alongside academics, and confidence alongside independence.
We believe emotional regulation isn’t an extra lesson—it’s the foundation that makes every other kind of learning possible. A child who understands their emotions, communicates their needs, and believes they can overcome challenges is better prepared not only for kindergarten, but for life.
One of the things I’m most proud of is that Green Garden continues to evolve instead of becoming comfortable. We’re constantly asking ourselves, “What do children truly need from us today?” Sometimes that means questioning traditions, redesigning our environments, creating new community partnerships, or giving children more freedom and responsibility than people might expect.
Our goal has never been to be the biggest childcare organization. Our goal is to help redefine what early childhood education can be.
If our graduates leave Green Garden knowing how to care for others, regulate their emotions, solve problems, communicate with confidence, stay curious, and believe they can make a difference in their communities, then we’ve accomplished something much bigger than preparing them for school—we’ve helped prepare them for life.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Some of my favorite childhood memories weren’t tied to a big event—they were the ordinary moments spent outside. Building forts, riding bikes until the streetlights came on, exploring the woods, catching frogs, making up games with friends, and using my imagination for hours without realizing how much I was learning.
Looking back, those experiences taught me independence, creativity, resilience, and confidence. They also remind me why I’m so passionate about giving today’s children those same opportunities. Childhood shouldn’t be rushed. It should be filled with exploration, wonder, and the freedom to discover who you are.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://greengardencdc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greengardencdc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GreenGardenCDC
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@greengardenchilddevelopmen5607
