About

If you’re a parent looking for ideas on how to get your children more involved in outdoor activities in Greenville, then you've come to the right place.

What is Naturally Wild?

Naturally Wild is a nature blog to inspire you to get outside. There is a wilder world out there and we want to share it with you! Naturally Wild is free to follow and will strive to inspire you weekly with ideas for nature play in your own back yard or community, it will have crafts, or simple reflections on the beauty of the world around you. It will open the doors to nature play in your own backyard. Feel free to comment or share your own stories. No one is too young or too old to hear the call of the wild. The Irish use the term tenalach. This is a relationship one has with he land, the air, the water; a deep connection that makes you one with nature. So get up, go, be one with nature, find your tenalach.

What is Nature Play?

Nature Play is an innovative approach to early childhood development using natural surroundings to foster empathy for the environment. If a child is rooted in natural learning and grows as nature grows, then they will feel the urge to respect and protect it. Since much of the Earth's future depends on the children of today, why not teach them to protect what they love? Baba Dioum once said “In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught.” The Greenville Zoo is committed to bringing a love of nature back to children. As part of this commitment, the Education Department at the Greenville Zoo is introducing programs for all ages that are inspired by nature. Along with the the awesome monthly educational programs the zoo offers, there is a new nature club for families called Greenville Zoo Nature Play. With the help of the Children & Nature Network, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, this club and many more great things are coming to the zoo. The zoo was awarded a $10,000 grant to start up these natural programs and to create nature paths for families to enjoy while on zoo grounds. For more information on how to join the club, Greenville Zoo Nature Play, visit our website at www.greevillezoo.com.

So Who am I?

My name is Jennifer. I am a nature lover just like you! I moved to Greenville after receiving my degree in Texas, where I grew up wild. Now as an educator at the Greenville Zoo my passions for teaching and nature collide. I am able to encourage the meek to indulge in nature and focus the more wild spirits on the wonderment of the land. I love my job and my community, this is one small way that I can make sure it is left in good hands.

My name is Kaitlyn and although I'm not new to the zoo, I'm new to the Nature Play team! I'll be the  Nature Play coordinator for the next six months. I've grown up here in the Greenville Zoo and have worked with the zookeepers and now the education team. I'm currently studying for an Associates Degree in Science at Greenville Tech. For my early education I was homeschooled which allowed me to spent most of my days outdoors during school hours. I love that I am able to look back at my childhood filled with adventures outdoors. I hope to inspire and encourage the next generation to get back into nature!