A green tsunami of weeds is rising throughout the Santa Monica Mountains this spring. This living tide of vegetation threatens to drown the native plants,…
A new children’s show, Inside Our Hearts, creates an inclusive space for families to tune in to what’s inside their hearts, together.
Wife and husband Dani Fine and Jordan Wainer are artists, musicians, and special education therapists. They utilize poetry, stories, songs, movement, play, and nature connection to explore big feelings, while modeling and encouraging healthy modes of expressing these feelings in one’s own unique way.
Tell us a little bit about Inside Our Hearts.
“Inside Our Hearts is a weekly web show for children. Our intention is to create a nurturing, caring and inclusive space where all feelings are welcomed, honored, and explored. As our theme song goes, “Whoever you are, however you feel, it’s all right with me! You’ll see! Together we’ll get through it, yes I know that we can do it… whoever you may be.. just be…however you may be.”
How has Covid-19 informed the show?
“Through the lens of the children that we work with, we were able to swiftly identify the immensity of emotion coming up for young children, especially differently abled children, during this time. The feelings of isolation, worry, fear, and experiences of dysregulation we’ve witnessed in children in response to the pandemic had a profound impact on our inspiration for finally releasing the show, a project that had been inside both of our own hearts for a very long time.”
Nature Time is a consistent segment on the show, can you tell us a bit more about it?
“It’s our belief that to care for ourselves, and to care for each other, is to care for this earth, as we are all connected.
“Our intention with Nature Time is to nurture children’s intrinsic love and connection to the natural world around them. During nature time we might count the number of petals on a sticky monkey flower, do a dance of gratitude for a mountain we’ve spent time exploring, or observe the song and flight of a group of American Robins. We move slowly, ask questions, and wonder about the world, together!”
For more information and links to each episode visit www.insideourhearts.com
Instagram @inside_ourhearts
Free downloadable resources for children: www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Inside-Our-Hearts-With-Dani
Tune into Topanga New Times Radio on Spotify and Instagram to hear the theme song from Inside Our Hearts.
