We had the good fortune of connecting with Oli Zepeda and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Oli, we’d love to hear what makes you happy.
Being outdoors makes me happy. There is nothing better than to feel a cool autumn breeze while hiking with my family or relax under a tree eating homemade snacks with my toddler on a weekday morning. The outdoors, regardless if it’s an urban park or natural reserve, ground my soul and lift my spirit. I never finish a walk regretting my time spent outside. Living in Houston can be hard during the summer heat but the longer days make evening strolls great before the kids’ bedtime and there is always a nice water feature to splash in. I did not grow up spending time outdoors but when I discovered the benefits of daily fresh air and contact with nature I couldn’t imagine a life without it.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started Niños Al Natural in 2019 but it finally took off during March 2020 just a week before the COVID lock down. The timing was amazing! Like everyone else, I had no idea that 2 weeks would become months of isolation and uncertainty.
As a mother raising bilingual children I had a very specific need of a supportive community that celebrated and normalized bilingual families. I had a hard time finding that support so I decided to create my own community program. I started La Hora del Cuento (story time), a weekly playgroup completely in Spanish for toddlers and preschoolers.
My goal was to achieve 4 things:
It had to be free.
It had to be outdoors.
It had to be complete Spanish immersion.
It had to include high quality children’s literature.
I spread the word through my social media groups and a few weeks later a group was formed. It was fantastic and we managed to create a rhythm that lasted until COVID hit.
That’s when a new need arose.
Libraries closed.
Playgroup cancelled.
Forest School cancelled.
Preschools closed.
So I decided to homeschool my child. But, I couldn’t find anything in Spanish that satisfied me completely. There were plenty of resources online that were exactly what I was looking for but they were only in English. So that is how Niños Al Natural started.
I needed a curriculum that:
Was free.
Was cross curricular.
Was age appropriate.
Prompted outdoor learning
Was easy for a parent to use, expand, modify and make it their own.
Was pleasing to look at.
Easy to apply at home with few materials.
And it had to be in Spanishz
I was asking for too much! So I decided to put in use my training as an early childhood educator and my past experience developing curriculum for young children and create my own preschool homeschool program.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Let’s say my best friend has young children like me. We want to have fun but it has to work around nap times, it has to be affordable and it has to be family friendly.
Monday: my friend and her kids arrive just in time for an early dinner. We head out for some tacos from Velvet Taco on Washington Ave and then head over to the Waugh Drive Bat Colony for some fun outdoor time before bedtime.
Tuesday: It happens to be the first Tuesday if the month so I was able to get some free tickets to the zoo!
Wednesday: We have brunch at Common Bond. After nap time we visit Evelyn’s Park where the kids can play in two different playgrounds, get wet in the splash pad and run around the field. Then we’ll have dinner at Betsy’s.
Thursday: Free visit to the Children’s Museum or Houston Museum of Natural Science
Friday: Visit Levy Park and grab a treat at Tiny’s milk and cookies on our way back home.
Saturday: NASA!
Sunday: Brunch at Dish Society and farewell!
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The best thing for a new mother is a community she can lean on. I was lucky to find Fit4Mom when my first son turned 3 months old. As soon as I learned more about the program I quickly signed up and found other amazing moms that understood the ups and downs of motherhood.
Later on, I discovered Free Forest School now known as Our Outdoors. Nature enthusiast raising young children would get together outdoors and let there children explore, jump in puddles, climb trees and test their physical limits. I joined and was so inspired as I learned of the amazing benefits nature based play has on young children.
Both Fit4Mom and Free Forest School were a huge inspiration for what I do now through Niños Al Natural.
Website: niñosalnatural.com
Instagram: @ninos.al.natural