Monica holds an associate degree in early childhood education and has been working in the early-childhood field for about 16 years. She loves to be in nature and began noticing over her career in childcare that children are offered less and less time outdoors and fewer opportunities to pursue their own unique interests. Prairie Flower takes the opposite approach, and she was especially drawn to its nature-based, child-led philosophy.
Her favorite activities in the learning environment include sensory play, art and building with loose parts. She loves these activities because they give children a chance to explore without a goal in mind and express who they are in an authentic way.
She and her family can be found taking walks through the nearby woods and nature preserves, gardening, riding their bikes around town, frequenting the Ames Main Street Farmers' Market and spending time outside in their backyard.