Welcome to Green Hearts!
                Our Services

    Green Hearts works to fulfill its charitable mission through two primary methodologies:
    1.    Educational advocacy for nature play via public                   
             speaking, workshops for professionals and parents,
             and

publications; and
    2.    Consulting assistance for other organizations and
             agencies.


 1.  Educational Advocacy


         Green Hearts’ President, Ken Finch, frequently delivers     keynote speeches at professional conferences and meetings.
    These talks stress the importance of nature play to the
    conservation movement and to the healthy social, emotional,
    intellectual and physical development of children.

         Our presentations emphasize the key dimensions of
    nature play and review the methods that can be used to    
    restore it.  We illustrate these talks with thematic cartoons
    that reflect the underlying fun of the topic.  After keynote
    talks, Ken often leads follow-up workshops or panel
    discussions. 

         Green Hearts also presents workshops about how to

    design landscapes for nature play, both for professionals and

    for parents.  In addition, Green Hearts contributes nature-play articles to professional publications and local media, and can create custom articles upon

request. 

    Green Hearts always tailors its messages to the audience, and encourages question-and-

answer periods or follow-up discussion sessions. Clients for
   Green Hearts' speaking and educational workshops include
   (among many others):

  • Tennessee Environmental Education Association;

  • Missouri Summit on Environmental Literacy;
  • Cleveland Museum of Natural History;
  • Environmental Education Council of Ohio;

  • Minnesota Recreation and Park Association;

  • Tennessee Association for the Education of Young Children;

  • National Master Naturalists Conference;

  •      Pennsylvania Association of Land Trusts;
  • Delaware Valley Assn. for the Education of Young Children;
  • Mississippi Environmental Education Alliance; and
  • Child Care Resources Conference (NJ).
    For scheduling and fees, please contact Green Hearts at 402-301-9615, or (preferably) at [email protected].

2. Consulting Assistance

        Green Hearts can help other organizations to understand
    nature play and to successfully foster such play.  Our
    consulting usually focuses on the design and operation of
    nature preschools and/or natural play spaces, but we can
    also help with related topics.

         Green Hearts' consulting clients have included Five Rivers
    MetroParks (Dayton, Ohio), the Cincinnati Nature Center,
    Briar Bush Nature Center (Abington, PA), Brenton Arboretum

    (Des Moines, IA), SafeNet Domestic Shelter (Erie, PA), the  
    Hartley Nature Center (Duluth, MN), the Pennsylvania Dept.
    of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Ohio Nature
    Preschool Collaborative.


    Nature Preschool Planning 
        Green Hearts has a wealth of expertise to share in the
    design and operation of nature-focused preschools. 
    Consulting services can include:

  • Staff and Board training;     
  • Market and site analysis;

  • Business planning;

  • Assistance with building and    landscape design; and

  • Operational plans and staffing.

 

   Nature Play Design  

        Green Hearts has a deep
    understanding of how children
    like to play in the outdoors.
    Using this strong knowledge,
    we can help conservation
    organizations, park districts,  

    schools, early childhood settings,

    and individual property owners to add “playful richness” to

    environments intended for open-ended, nature-based play.

    Clients may draw upon our expertise in:

  • Site selection and design;

  • Plant selection;

  • Interactive play features; and

  • Safety concerns.

 

       Green Hearts works with registered landscape architects,
    as needed — either ones of our clients' choosing or through
    our own partnership with the Big Muddy Workshop, Inc.

 

         To explore how Green Hearts can help you create a great
    nature play area, call us at 402-301-9615, or (preferably) 
    send us an email at [email protected].

Great finds



Green Hearts Institute for Nature in Childhood
mailing address:  15103 Grover Circle, Omaha, Nebraska  68144
 
email us

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