One thing you learn to love in Vancouver, British Columbia is the sound, the feeling and the smell of rain. You also get to enjoy the bald eagles hunting by the river, and the herons, and the towering cedar trees and big leaf maples. For Maria Jose Obando, it wasn't that hard to do.

She's the founder of the Little Paws Outdoor Classroom, and her program operates among the city and metro parks of Vancouver, serving a multicultural community with bilingual forest school activities and experiences. Maria's love of language, community and early childhood education all merged into a program that is making a profound difference for her students and their families.

She shares her journey and her current work integrating autistic students into her groups with the support of therapists and trained educators as well.

It's always a gift to be able to listen to the sincere love and joy that so many nature educators express in these conversations, and to know that despite all of the hard work and effort, they have found joy and deep satisfaction in being outside in the rain.

Connect with Little Paws:

https://www.littlepawsoutdoors.com/

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https://www.facebook.com/littlepawsoutdoorclassroom

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https://www.foresteducator.com/

https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/

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