What we Do

"The world becomes what you teach"

— Zoe Weil

Niños y naturaleza

Learning today, Leading tomorrow

Empowering children to be positive agents for change.

Niños y Naturaleza is a unique place-based program developed by Audubon de México that takes public school children on a journey of awakening their relationship to nature.

Inspired by the words of educator David Sobel,  we designed our program to nurture love – of life, animals, our planet, one another and themselves – through experiences in the natural sciences, gardening, creative arts, storytelling and outdoor adventures that cultivate their sense of wonder, curiosity and understanding and empathy and respect for all living beings.

Our goal is to help our youth form a caring connection with nature and the values, skills and knowledge that will empower them to become active contributors to a healthy society – for the sake of their future and for nature itself.

If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.

— David Sobel

OUR NIÑOS Y NATURALEZA SCHOOLS

225 Children,  2 Urban Primary Schools,  4 Year Program

Beginning in 3rd grade, our students embark on a 4-year journey of discovering the wonders of the natural world and understanding their relationship to it, through interactive lessons in ecology and natural sciences, creative expression and hands-on activities that create unforgettable learning experiences that are relevant to their lives and their future.

Each garden, grove of trees, or individual plant at their school becomes our laboratory for learning, providing a real-world context in which to experience the ways of nature and witness how individual and collective action in caring for plants, soils, water and our own corner of the world can make a difference in securing a healthy planet and healthy self.

Escuela Nueva Senda

Nueva Senda, located in the community of San Luis Rey,  was one of Audubon’s first Niños y Naturaleza schools, starting in 2015.   125 students in 3rd through 6th grade students are participating in our program.

Escuela Montes de Oca

A Ninos y Naturaleza school since 2016, Montes de Oca school is located in Colonia Azteca. 100 students, grades 3 through 6, are participating in our program. 

ECO-NIÑOS PROGRAM

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BIBLIOTECA PUBLICA

150 students  – 4 Rural Primary Schools      

Pantoja 2024

Escuela Nueva Senda

Eco-Niños is an ecological literacy program that fosters a deep connection and sense of responsibility toward the Earth. Through hands-on exploration, digital storytelling, and access to lending libraries, we are empowering children to connect with nature, discover their voices, and develop the skills to care for the planet.

Through field trips, gardening, and exploring the elements of nature, students experience the wonder of the natural world while building empathy, confidence, and stewardship. At each school, our lending libraries allow students to dive into nature topics that spark their curiosity and nurture a lifelong love of books and reading.

For 5th and 6th grade students, the program expands into digital storytelling, where they learn photography, video, writing, and research skills to create a school webpage documenting their Eco-Niños journey. Through sharing their stories, they inspire others to join them in caring for our planet.

By nurturing curiosity and fostering stewardship, Eco-Niños is helping to inspire a new generation of thoughtful, confident, and compassionate environmental leaders.

 

 

OUR APPROACH

“The world becomes what you teach.”  – Zoe Weil

Discovery

We spend a lot of time outside exploring the world around us, using all of our senses to observe, touch, smell, taste, and listen to nature. We develop new skills, like planting and tending a garden, counting birds for science and organizing a cleanup campaign. We go on field trips to enlarge our experiences of the world and to meet people who are working to help nature and our society thrive. We promote questions to encourage curiosity and problem-solving, and apply writing, math, and science skills to a real-world context. 

 

Empathy

We view the world through the eyes of a bird to discover our commonalities, the differences that make us special and the value that people and wildlife add to our world. We create works of art, keep journals, play games, and tell stories that help us form emotional connections with wildlife and to encourage a caring spirit. We apply these lessons to building closer relationships with the nature world.

Empowerment

We engage in transformative experiences to develop our sense of belonging; our understanding of our value as an individual and community member; and recognition that our contributions CAN and DO make a difference in the world.

Community

We emphasize the value of teamwork by working cooperatively to plan, plant and care for school gardens, creating a play, and painting a mural together. We make time for personal expression; encouraging ideas and feelings and opportunities to share their experience with others. We develop leadership skills by sharing our knowledge and skills.

Become a Member

Make a world of difference to the youth participating in our Niños y Naturaleza program by keeping our program growing and going strong.

Be a Volunteer

Our staff can always use a hand. Do you like to build things, dig in the garden, have an artistic talent, take photos? To learn more contact us at audubondemexico@gmail.com

Resources

View this compelling video of an interview with Richard Louv, journalist, author and founder/chariman of the Children & Nature Network.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Our monthly newsletter will keep you up to date on our scheduled events, our work, and features monthly nature-related articles.