Viking Magazine - September 2021 - 17

place and belonging. Our
philosophy of children is that
they are not vessels to be poured
into, but they come to us
capable people with thoughts
and ideas. They are these
wonderful, brilliant little people,
and so together we learn. "
The Outdoors Belong to
Everyone
With all of their mental and
physical health benefits, nature
preschools still have some
room for improvement when it
comes to the diversity of student
enrollment. In a 2017 report,
the Natural Start Alliance found
that white children are overrepresented
in nature preschools,
while children with disabilities,
dual-language learners and
Research by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency found that Americans spend an average of
90% of their time indoors. Furthermore, children
ages 8 to 12 are watching and using screens four
to six hours a day, which the American Academy
of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry says can lead to
sleep problems, lower grades in school, poor selfimage
and a lack of outdoor activity.
Nature preschools offer an antidote to some of
those challenges. According to the Natural Start
Alliance, outdoor learning touts a host of benefits:
enhanced brain development, improved academic
performance, emotional resilience and selfregulation,
reduction of ADHD symptoms, and
increased physical activity and motor development,
to name a few.
Students in nature-based programs also obtain
important kindergarten-readiness and life skills
as they learn how to evaluate risks, experiment
with boundaries, understand consequences,
become lifelong learners and interact with their
environment.
" We hope that we're raising a generation of
kids who care about things like climate change,
and who will take better care of the earth, " says
Morrill, " But it's also really important that they
feel rooted and connected, and have a sense of
children of color are underrepresented.
Financial aid for tuition helps, but Kellie
Morrill, the executive director for Tiny Trees
Preschool in Seattle, hopes a new piece of
legislation passed this past May will further
expand accessibility. The bill cements outdoor
preschools as a permanent part of Washington's
early learning system, meaning Tiny Trees and
other nature schools in the state can provide more
free and reduced tuition (which, at Tiny Trees,
ranges from $745 to $1,200), apply for federal
grant dollars, and offer both part-day and fullday
programs to meet the needs of families with
two working parents (previously, Tiny Trees was
only legally allowed to offer part-day preschool
programs).
" What we're finding is, even when you offer
financial aid, even when there's economic
inclusivity, you still see mostly white families.
So, we're wondering, how do we be more
inclusive? " says Morrill, who has been partaking
in community events with local families to help
answer this question. " In a very diverse city,
we want to make sure that this is accessible
for everyone. We want to create spaces where
everyone feels welcome and included, and feels a
sense of belonging. "
sonsofnorway.com VIKING SEPTEMBER 2021 17
PHOTO BY SHEILA WILLIAMS RIDGE / MINNEAPOLIS NATURE PRESCHOOL
http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - September 2021
