In Chapter 13 of Peter Gray's Mother Nature's Pedagogy, the focus is on "How Can Children Learn Bravery in an Age of Overprotection?" As I read the book and volunteer with Let Grow, translating documents, I often ponder, "How Can Parents Learn Bravery in an Age of Over Judgment?"  If you are a parent who believes in childhood and read about natural selection then, you understand the need and importance of Risky Play in human development and how it is a key part in giving chil

Self-Directed Education sound so ethereal for many of us. We have been dragged in a world where we don't have many opportunities to doing things in the way "we feel it's the best for us" and not by the way that "it is expect to be done", because for centuries it has been like that, and apparently works well.  ​ In a world where teacher-directed learning it is the most chosen path worldwide in education at all levels, even for the professionals and educators that feels the mol

A Personal Lens on Regulation I never planned to be a mother. My pregnancy was unexpected, unfolding in the middle of a relationship I didn’t want to continue, in a country far from my family. The isolation and depression I experienced were so profound that I began to have suicidal thoughts and to hallucinate. That breaking point became the seed of transformation: I realized that if I was to protect my daughter and myself, I needed to build a community. A community rooted in

Center for Nature and Place-Based Early Childhood Education June 2020, Arizona - Texas Ju ne -basedJune Early Childhood Education  The mentors and facilitators of MNP are all passionate nature and childhood advocates who continually engage in professional development to better support our young learners and our community. To this end, we are all participating in Prescott College’s Summer Institute For Nature And Place-Based Early Childhood Education . This was to be a hand

Nature-Based Teacher Retreat February 2020, Tampa - Florida MNP director Patricia León was the keynote speaker at Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools’ Nature-Based Teachers’ Retreat in Tampa. She spoke to nature-based education colleagues about the special opportunity educators have to support parents in discovering nature alongside their children and in understanding the value of unstructured, child-led play. Through the lens of leadership training, Pat

Florida Association for the Education of Young Children September 2019, Orlando - Florida MNP director Patricia Léon together with educator and MNP mentor Katja von Elbe presented Unlearning Together: Integrating Conscious Discipline in Our Forest School Family at the Florida Association for the Education of Young Children’s annual conference in Orlando. Under Katja’s guidance, MNP has been using Conscious Discipline to model skills and empower children to regulate thems

Nature-Based Early Learning Conference August 2019, Manchester - New Hampshire MNP director Patricia León had the privilege of meeting American researcher and scholar Peter Gray during the Natural Start Alliance ’s Nature-Based Early Learning Conference. This was a special encounter for our director as Gray has contributed so much to movements that promote and support children’s rights to freedom of expression, freedom of thought and freedom to play (among others). Gray,

University of Florida & Miami Nature Playschool March 2019, Miami - Florida Miami Nature Playschool was pleased to host the Eastern...

Children & Nature Newtwork International Conference Attended by: Program Director May 2017, Vancouver - Canada MNP director Patricia León was thrilled to connect with Dr. Scott Sampson, author of How to Raise a Wild Child : The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature , during the Children and Nature Network ’s Leadership Summit. His book is a valuable resource for parents and educators alike. In this easy-to-use guide, Dr. Sampson provides guidance and engaging activ

Project Wild Florida - University of Sarasota Attended by: FK Mentors & Program Director July 2019, Sarasota, FL In July, a group of MNP...

August 2019, Chapel Hill, NC Attended by: Forest Kindergarten Mentors In August, MNP Forest Kindergarten Mentors continued their professional development and deepened their commitment to nature-based learning by attending a five-day intensive Nature-Based Teacher Certification offered by ERAFANS in Chapel Hill, NC.  We came together with over 30 nature-based educators from all over the eastern U. S.—sharing best practices, questions, songs, challenges—while being mentored by

Children and Nature Network International Conference​ Attended by: FK Lead Mentor & Program Director May, 2019 - Oackland, CA More than 800 leaders from 15 nations gathered in Oakland, CA to advance equitable access to nature.  MNP Program Director,  Patricia León and MNP Lead Mentor, Ana Maria Cordido were among the nature changemakers who, in partnering with  Stephen Le Quesne, presented a dynamic 2 hours conference addressing ways to engage families in nature.  Stephen is

Natural Start Alliance - Nature-Based Early Learning Conference Attended by: Conscious Discipline Consultand, Mentors & Program Director August 2019, Manchester, NH MNP Program Director, Patricia Leon together with educator and MNP Conscious Discipline Mentor Katja von Elbe presented Unlearning Together: Integrating Conscious Discipline in Our Forest School Family at The Natural Start Alliance 's annual conference in Manchester, New Hampshire.  Under Katja’s guidance, MNP ha