WILD HEARTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Where Curiosity Meets Conservation.

Today's children will become tomorrow's custodians of the Planet but still facing immense environmental challenges such as climate change and water scarcity. It is the responsibility of all of us, not just parents, to guide the next generation and help them become true champions for the environment.

What is the Wild Hearts program?

WILD HEARTS is a free 45-lesson environmental education programme specifically designed for young learners, with a strong focus on Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Foundation Phase education. Every lesson has been carefully developed to inspire curiosity, build a love for nature, and help children understand their role in protecting the world around them.

Unlike traditional environmental programmes that focus on only one topic, WILD HEARTS takes children on a journey through Africa's incredible natural world. The curriculum follows International Environmental Awareness Days, giving each lesson a meaningful real-world connection while remaining flexible enough for teachers to present throughout the year.

Click here to learn more about the program and access our free-to-use curriculum

It's crucial for children to develop a deep love for the environment and learn how to protect it. The WILD HEARTS Environmental Awareness program for preschoolers supports that need and helps make our future better together.

Mother Nature at the heart of every lesson

Environmental education helps pre-schoolers understand the world around them and how they can protect it. By learning about nature, children develop a sense of wonder and respect for the environment. They also learn about the impact of human actions on the planet and how they can make a positive difference.

An early introduction to environmental education can inspire children to become lifelong advocates for the environment, leading to a more sustainable future. Environmental education has also been shown to have cognitive and social benefits, improving problem-solving skills, creativity, and empathy towards others.

The lesson plans are print-ready and distributed in PDF format, and there are NO membership fees to join or use the WILD HEARTS program. However, the program does provide for optional teacher training and additional support.

How long is the program?

Across the 45 themed lessons, children discover:

Africa's beautiful biomes, including forests, deserts, wetlands and oceans.
Amazing wildlife, from elephants, rhinos and zebras to dung beetles, bees and sugarbirds.
The fascinating world of plants, insects and ecosystems.
Important environmental topics such as recycling, water conservation, climate action, biodiversity and caring for our planet.
The people who protect nature, including rangers, firefighters and conservation heroes.

Every lesson is built around stories, songs, movement, games, creative activities and hands-on learning, making environmental education engaging, memorable and age-appropriate. Designed for South African classrooms, WILD HEARTS has been developed to support educators, not create additional work.

The programme aligns with South Africa's National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for children from birth to four years, as well as the CAPS Foundation Phase curriculum, making it easy to integrate into classroom teaching. The programme includes 45 lesson plans and over 100 printable resources, all created to help teachers deliver meaningful environmental learning with confidence.

The Wild Hearts Program is Free to Use

There is no membership fee to join or use the WILD HEARTS programme.

We believe every child deserves the opportunity to connect with nature, which is why the programme is freely available to schools, teachers, ECD centres and community organisations.

Creative Commons Licence: All WILD HEARTS resources are protected under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This means you are welcome to: Download and use the resources in your classroom or organisation. Print and share them with learners. Distribute the original resources to other teachers, provided you credit Made Better Together Foundation.

The licence also means that you may not: Sell or use the resources for commercial purposes. Edit, adapt or create altered versions of the lessons or resources. Remove the Made Better Together Foundation copyright or branding. This licence helps us keep WILD HEARTS free and consistent while ensuring the programme's quality and integrity are preserved for every child who experiences it.

How to be involved with the Foundation?

DONATION

Your donations help us make a real difference in people's lives.

Every contribution, no matter how big or small, fuels our mission to create positive change in communities.

FUNDRAISING

Join us in raising funds for our impactful projects.

Whether you host an event or start an online fundraiser, your efforts support our mission of compassion and empowerment.

INVOLVEMENT

Get involved and be part of our community dedicated to making a difference.

Whether you volunteer your time or skills, your involvement strengthens our impact and helps create a better world for all.

The Made Better Together Foundation's initiatives are deeply rooted in our commitment to supporting SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13: Climate Action, SDG 15: Life on Land, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.