Children's Sense of Place in Northern New Mexico

In the Hispano homeland of northern New Mexico, children's lives are shaped by land, by family, by culture, and by community. The way these forces work together forms each child's sense of place and place attachments. Using short case examples, this article presents a brief overview of children's place experiences and preferences and describes some of the factors that contribute to children's sense of place in three communities, of northern New Mexico which represent a range from urban to rural. It demonstrates the important role extended family and direct experience play in shaping children's sense of place and understanding of nature.