We recently connected with Loren Klein and have shared our conversation below.
Loren, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start with the decision of whether to donate a percentage of sales to an organization or cause – we’d love to hear the backstory of how you thought through this.
When I dreamed up ZenHippo my hope was to have our programming outdoors. In our classes we foster a connection to nature through sensory play, music, movement, storytelling, and art. We want our children to move barefoot through the grass, discover the rough texture of a tree, create a collage with natural materials, dig in the dirt for insects and more. Children make discoveries, take risks, get creative and so much more outdoors. The natural world has so much to teach us and sadly, nowadays, people spend so much time cooped up indoors on devices.
We’re incredibly fortunate to offer classes in the most spectacular gardens – Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens (ANSG) in West Palm Beach and Pan’s Garden in Palm Beach. ANSG is a two acre urban sanctuary and nationally recognized arboretum devoted to preserving Ann Weaver Norton’s house, studio, monumental sculptures, butterfly havens, and tropical gardens. Pan’s Garden, a half acre garden just off Worth Avenue is Florida’s first all-native botanical garden. Established by the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach, it serves to protect and showcase Florida’s indigenous plants and the wildlife they support. We are thrilled to welcome families to these gardens each week and donate a percentage of our profit to help sustain them. These partnerships have made our work with families in the community even more meaningful.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a mom of three, teacher, social worker and the founder of ZenHippo, an early child program for children ages 0-3 in Palm Beach County. As a parent and an educator with nearly two decades of experience, I know that, while joyful, parenting is hard work. The good news? Community, education, and mindful play can radically transform the early years of parenting. ZenHippo aims to provide expecting and new families with just that! Our play-based programs nurture relationships within and among families, while improving early childhood outcomes.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
When we moved to West Palm Beach in 2020 I left behind a 15 years career in the NYC public school system. While I continued to consult for the NYC Department of Education, I knew I wanted to build local roots. It was time to reinvent myself. I took stock of my community, got involved in my school and neighborhood and reflected on my own needs as a parent in the area. As I got to know Palm Beach, I learned what was missing and crafted a program that brought together so many of my passions – early childhood education, parenting, maternal wellness, community building, mental health, art, music, nature and food. As much as I loved my career in New York, it’s been incredibly fulfilling to build something that I can call my own.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
When I was in my 20s my mother unexpectedly passed away. I had two young siblings ages 8 and 9 to care for, while teaching students with disabilities full-time and earning my second master degree. I had to manage my own grief, while supporting so many others. This was a very tough time, but it gave me invaluable insight into the stressors of caregiving. This insight, along with my later experiences as a new mother, inspired me to focus on families and communities and, ultimately, launch ZenHippo.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wearezenhippo.com
- Instagram: @wearezenhippo
- Facebook: wearezenhippo
Image Credits
Van Richardson photography the rest are my photographs