Meet Ana Morice of Amigos del Bosque Spanish Nature Preschool

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ana Morice.

Hi Ana, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up in Costa Rica in a family of 7 shaped so much of who I am. We would spend most of our days playing outside and exploring our neighborhood. Growing up, nature was always the place where I would find myself and feel connected.

When I came to live in Minnesota, about 8 years ago and started to work as an Sp Ed in elementary schools, I was shocked by two things: Standardized tests and the amount of time that children will spend in front of a screen. These really didn’t resonate with my values and I decided to take a break from it, and explore what I really wanted to do with my educational background. I knew I wasn’t going back to teach in a traditional environment.

A few years later I got connected with MNEco, a community of Early Childhood Outdoor Educators. Their supportive encouragement and enthusiasm for outdoor education were contagious… and this was the beginning of it.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been smooth and rocky at the same time. In the frame of a pandemic, the community needed an outdoor preschool. The Spanish component is extra and enriches the program. I have the blessing of working with an amazing team of teachers, collaborators and parents.

Being kind of a grass-root preschool in the area, in a sea of preschools that are so focused on “getting children ready” for kindergarten, it’s a complete challenge. Parents are so afraid and stressed about their child being ready, that we are forgetting the whole point of childhood: PLAY.

Being listened to respect themselves, Nature and others. Being listened and respected in their own processes is what childhood should be about.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are a BIPOC, women-owned business and the first Spanish Nature Preschool in the West Metro. We spend about 95% of our time outside embracing all kinds of weather, exploring Nature in the Woods and the preschool backyard.

Our curriculum is emergent/place and play based.

Our mission is to build together the space for all children to grow through their relationship with the natural world.

Our Vision is to empower the next generation to honor their relationship with the natural world, with themselves, and with a culturally diverse world.

What makes ADB so different from other preschool programs: we are not preparing children to “be ready for kindergarten”. We focus on what the child needs and his own interests are right here and right now.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
In the Minnesota’s early childhood Nature community, I have found the most supportive and amazing group of people, willing to hold your hand along the way.

I am going to tell you what Kristen Peterson told me when I asked her where to start. She told me: Just do it! what are you waiting for?

I was a teacher with almost 20 years of experience, passionate about respected childhood, the Spanish language and madly in love with Nature…so I did it!

And I will never go back to teaching inside a classroom… especially preschoolers.

Contact Info:

• Email: amigosdelbosquemn@gmail.com
• Website: www.amigosdelbosquemn.com
• Instagram: amigosdelbosquemn
• Facebook: amigosdelbosquemn

Image Credits
Laura Alpizar Photography
Lily Bailey
Sarah Schwarze