Some of us were blessed with having a grandparent that guided, played, and laughed with us, filling the memories of our childhood with love and laughter. As we get older, we realize some of the games we played with them as children were actually life lessons, like how to count using rocks, pinecones, fruits etc. instead of our fingers. Taking us on walks and having us learn the names of plants, flowers, and trees allowed us to use all of our senses to familiarize ourselves with nature.
In 2001, Delia Suarez founded Delia’s Little Angels, transforming her home into a licensed family child care program. Last year, Delia had the opportunity to renovate her outdoor space through the Connecting Children with Nature program, led by the Low Income Investment Fund with funding from the Department of Early Childhood (DEC) and in collaboration with the San Francisco Recreation & Park Department and SF Children & Nature.
Remembering the impact that her maternal grandmother had on her during her youth in El Salvador, her childcare’s outdoor play space is a love letter to her grandmother; each section is intentional and has its own story tied to her childhood memories.
Si no fuera por mi abuela, mi vida habría sido muy diferente, ella me llevaba a todos lados, al río para lavar ropa, el centro para vender fruta, su jardín para ayudarla a plantar y mantenerlo limpio.
__
If it wasn’t for my grandmother my life would have been very different. She would take me everywhere she went, to wash clothes in the river, sell fruits at the market, and assist in the garden with planting and upkeep of it.
Children during their formative years soak up what they’re taught like sponges, their imaginations are unburdened and allowed to roam free. Having the children play market and explain why and how the dry measure box and scales are used allows them to learn something useful for their futures–but also fun for the children. This lesson stayed with Delia since her childhood
Mi abuela me hacía que midiera frijoles y maíz para los clientes que los visitaban, así es como aprendí matemáticas y ciencias, tuve que saber cómo medir todo para cobrar los clientes con la cantidad correcta.
__
My grandmother made me measure out beans and corn for our clients. That’s how I learned math and science, to be able to charge customers the correct amount for what they were purchasing.
Trips to a local river in her hometown were another core memory that Delia has with her grandmother, exploring the surrounding greenery, shoreline, and some local marine life. Delia wanted to recreate that joy she felt for the daycare children. Scattered throughout the pebble river are marine figurines, seashells, and some gemstones that children lovingly call “diamantes” (diamonds) or “perlas” (pearls).
Delia’s love of child-rearing started with her grandchildren; she taught them to respect and love Mother Nature because of everything it provides, sparking a mission and for her life.
Esa fue la mayor vision de mi vida: crear el respeto y el amor por la naturaleza en los ninos de mi comunidad.
__
That has been the greatest vision of my life: to instill a love for and respect for nature in the children of my community.
Her vision first became a reality in 2001 when she founded Delia’s Little Angels, and it came to life in a new way in 2025 with the renovation of her outdoor learning environment.
Her program has seen hundreds of children ranging from the ages of 3 months to 5 years old; through them, she can relive her childhood, recall fond memories, and share all the wealth of knowledge that may otherwise be lost.
At 72 years old, Delia still plays, runs & teaches her Little Angels science, art, language, and socio-emotional development. Her renovated backyard and its intentionally built areas allow for such teachings to stick.
Today, children have become synonymous with digital devices. This is something that Delia is aware of and fears what the long term effects are on children.
Muchos niños crecen en la ciudad. No van a los parques, casi ya no salen. Ahorita ves todos los niños con sus iPads.
La naturaleza es tan importante para el desarrollo social, emocional e intelectual del niño. Así como ellos se conectan con la naturaleza así tienen la capacidad, cuando son grandes, de comunicarse con otro ser humano.
¿Por qué? Porque traen un cimiento desde pequeños. Saben socializar con los demás en la sociedad. Son personas que cuidan la naturaleza. Desarrollan el amor por la naturaleza. Y una persona que desarrolla el amor por la naturaleza. Desarrolla el amor por su prójimo. Eso es lo más importante.
__
Many children grow up, as they say, in the city. They don’t go to parks anymore, and they hardly spend time outside. Nowadays, you see children everywhere with their iPads.
Nature is so important for a child’s social, emotional, and intellectual development. When children connect with nature, they develop the ability to connect with other people as they grow up.
Why? Because they build that foundation from an early age.
They learn how to socialize and be part of society. They become people who care for nature. They develop a love for the natural world. And a person who learns to love nature also learns to love their fellow human beings. That is the most important thing.
About the Author
Franklin Hernandez is a Senior at San Francisco State University, who will graduate in the fall of 2026, and an SF Recreation & Parks intern working with the communications team.
A Zumba instructor since 2012, Franklin hopes to evoke through his writing the same feelings that music and movement inspire through dance.
Franklin plans to attend the University of San Francisco in the fall of 2027 to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Writing. With a reignited passion for interviewing and storytelling, he hopes his writing expresses the love and care he brings to everything he works on and evokes meaningful emotions in readers.