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With this fun and practical guide to outdoor play, be inspired to unplug and spark a nature connection vital for children’s healthy growth and development.
*Winner of the 2020 National Outdoor Book Award in the Children’s Category*
Children and families are plugged into electronics and often disconnected from direct experiences in nature. This beautifully photographed, highly visual resource offers tangible approaches to nature-based learning and play for children. Parents and teachers discover the benefits of outdoor learning and simple ways to facilitate unplugged nature connection in every season.
Inspired by nature preschools, forest kindergartens, and forest school models the world over, this guide also includes “Voices from the Field” with advice from experienced nature-based educators. This insightful reference balances nature play experiences with hands-on projects using natural materials and is an ideal jumping off point for immersive nature play.
Examples of nature-based child experiences outlined in the book include:
Wildlife observation and tracking Nature sounds, songs, and poetry Gardening and cooking with wild edibles Printmaking, charcoal drawing, dyeing, and shadow play Journaling inspired by nature
With Nature Play Workshop for Families, any child, anywhere, can spark a nature connection.
“Voices from the Field” includes more ideas and tips contributed by leading educators, including:
Sally Anderson, Sol Forest School, Tijeras, New Mexico Yash Bhagwanji, Florida Atlantic University Lauren Brown, Asheville Farmstead School Peter Dargatz, Woodside Elementary School, Sussex, Wisconsin Monica French, Wild Haven Forest Preschool and Childcare, Baltimore, Maryland Patricia Leon, Miami Nature Playschool Sheila William Ridge, Shirley G. Moore Lab School, Institute of Child Development, University of Minnesota Beth Savitz, Irvine Nature Center, Owings Mills, Maryland Maria Soboleski, New Mexico School for the Deaf Paige Vonder Haar, Bunnell House Early Childhood Lab School, Fairbanks, Alaska Susie Wirth, Arbor Day Foundation and Dimensions Foundation
From the Publisher
Make It Wild: Insect Observation
NATURE PLAY EXPERIENCE
Nocturnal Life
Nighttime in summer is a treat for the senses! Watching fireflies blink and listening to night sounds such as tree frogs, and other nocturnal creatures is fascinating. Enjoy the summer evening with a “sit spot” experience. Head outside, find a place to sit, and bring awareness to the sights and sounds around you. Meditation, breathing, or mindfulness techniques can intensify the experience. Don’t use a flashlight! Like other animals, our eyes naturally adjust to the changing level of light as darkness falls.
PROCESS
Hang the sheet on a clothesline or rope tied between trees.Set up a light (black light works best) to illuminate the sheet.Observe and photograph the creatures that appear on the sheet.
EXTENDING THE EXPERIENCE
Leave your sheet out overnight and check it the next day. Are there other creatures that were not present during your nighttime observation?
KEEP IT WILD
Moths are attracted to all types of artificial light, especially to ultraviolet light. Recent studies show how certain species of moths are evolving to avoid artificial light sources. This moth evolution could decrease pollination and food sources for nocturnal animals such as bats. Eek! Unless you need outdoor lights, please turn them off.
MATERIALS White or light-colored bedsheet Clothesline or rope Black light, flashlight, or any other type of light Camera
Make It Wild: Will It Rot? | Conduct a simple experiment to discover how long these items will take to return to the soil.
Explore a wild space to observe autumn flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Which plants and plant parts have faded or fallen to the ground? How will these natural objects return to the soil? Do you think they will decompose or sprout next spring?
Scout the area for rotting logs and examine them closely. How does the bark feel? Rough and sturdy? Spongy and soft? What is growing on or near the log? Choose a log and gently roll it away from you as if you are opening the front door to a hidden home. Watch quietly for a few moments to observe movement under the log. What can you spy under this log? When you are finished, gently roll the log back into place to “close the door” and respect this habitat.
Make It Wild: Star-Viewing Wand | This sweet wand will inspire you to stargaze on a clear winter’s night. Afterwards, you can use it for dramatic play.
Cold temperatures usually mean drier weather and more visibility for stargazing. Bundle up with your family on a clear winter night and head outside, preferably to an open area away from buildings and artificial light. It’s best not to bring a flashlight with you, but you might want a thermos of hot cocoa! Some constellations are easy to spot with the naked eye, such as Orion’s Belt. To help you focus, create the Star-Viewing Wand here. Snuggle up next to your loved ones and gaze at the stars!
Make It Wild: Wool Felted Rocks | Are there any rocks that look like they are wearing moss sweaters? Did you know you can make a sweater for a rock?
Rocks seem to invite little hands to touch and play with them. Nature play with rocks can enhance physical development as children pick up tiny stones with fingers or carry around and pile up larger rocks. The colors, sizes, and textures of individual rocks are intriguing. Careful study of rocks can reveal what minerals or crystals are present, or if you have come upon a fossil. Perhaps you have a future geologist in your midst!
Visit a stream, beach, or other waterway where rocks and stones are plentiful and you can freely explore. Look under the rocks for insect larvae, snails, and other aquatic critters. You might even see salamanders or crayfish.
Note: The best rock hounds examine their finds in person with other experts. Visit your local natural science museum, gem and mineral club, or university geology department for help identifying your rocks.
Make It Wild: Violet Jam | Some flowers are beautiful to look at and to eat! Make this delicious spring jam from foraged violets.
At long last, plants unfurl tender buds and reveal lovely petals and fresh new leaves. Given the bounty of spring plants as producers of food, hungry consumers (animals that are omnivores, herbivores, and carnivores) take advantage of delicious new food sources. Hunting goes hand in hand with foraging as animals seek nourishment after a lean winter, dormancy, or migration. Animals are also looking to feed their young, so although spring is a time of plentiful food, foraging animals must remain on high alert. There are others ready to spring into action.
Frolic and play outdoors as you explore spring growth. What clues indicate that animals are awake and feeding on tasty flowers and leaves? Is there evidence of insects such as ants nibbling at flower buds? Do you notice flies, beetles, or bees visiting nearby flowers? Are there signs that rabbits or deer have foraged in your yard or park?
Publisher : Quarry Books; Illustrated edition (July 14, 2020)
Language : English
Paperback : 144 pages
ISBN-10 : 1631598686
ISBN-13 : 978-1631598685
Reading age : 5 – 11 years, from customers
Item Weight : 1.2 pounds
Dimensions : 8.85 x 0.5 x 10.25 inches
Customers say
Customers find the book wonderful for outdoor teachers, parents, and teachers. They appreciate the colorful pictures and simplicity of the various activities. Readers also mention the writing is succinct and the ideas are simple.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
