How do I make nature our classroom? This practical companion to Wild and Free (book/podcast) colorfully provides directions for 25 theme-organized, multi-age activities. It encourages young explorers to Wander (family walks or winter explores), Capture (by painting or nature journaling); Nurture (tangible skills develop intangible skills-like growing mushrooms); Gather (foraging, experiencing local environs); and Explore (field trips or in city venues). 144 pgs, pb.
Wild and Free Nature is a beautiful, four-color resource book for parents, educators, and caregivers to enjoy doing hands-on activities outside with kids. One of the core philosophies behind Wild + Free is the belief that nature is the best classroom we could ever hope for. It unlocks the imagination and inspires creativity in ways that a schoolroom never could.
Being out in nature has a number of benefits. Studies show that children are more likely to interact with kids of different ages and learn to problem solve in natural settings. Being in natural settings stimulates the brain and restores cognitive function. Children who spend time in natural settings also interact better with kids of all ages and learn to solve problems more easily. They build muscle and coordination and fend off obesity. It cultivates a sense of responsibility for caring for the earth, not to mention, encourages imaginative play, curiosity, and other qualities necessary to spark a love for investigation and learning.
This resource book will help equip parents and adults who work with children to get them outdoors with activities such as:
* Build a treehouse in the woods.
* Cultivate a garden plot.
* Make land art and nature crafts.
* Create a mud kitchen in the backyard.
* Go for a nature walk each morning.
* Find a secret swimming hole.
* Go to the creek to learn about the water cycle.
* Plant a garden to see what will grow in your backyard.
* Raise monarch caterpillars and feed them milkweed until they transform into butterflies.
* Set up a birdwatching station in your front window equipped with binoculars, notebooks, and bird guides.
* Make a wilderness fort with the fallen branches from trees.
With the same lush photography as The Call of the Wild + Free, this book includes step-by-step pictures that show parents how to do the activity, and essays on the importance of nature in a child's life.
