Jennifer Ward is the author of numerous children's books celebrating the wonders of the natural world. A former elementary school educator, she is a frequent guest speaker at conferences, libraries, and bookstores. Along with illustrator Susie Ghahremani, she has gathered 52 activities that can be done in nature with kids to promote exploration, exercise the imagination, and increase a sense of wonder. This paperback is organized into sections according to the four seasons.
In the foreword, Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, notes: "When playing outside in fields or a naturally landscaped backyard, children stretch all of their senses, something they do not do in front of a screen. This book helps show how to extend our reach beyond the technological bubble. Here is the potential for much fun, many meaningful experiences — and a trove of shared stories."
Here is a sampler of some of Ward's ideas and exercises:
• Crouch down with your child and practice sprouting like blades of grass.
• Take a walk and come up with a list of colors you can find in flowers.
• Make a point of noting how many different kinds of ears that animals have.
• Quietly bird-watch.
• Plan a puddly day with your child following a rain, so you can explore the wonders of puddles.
• Watch a ladybug to determine how she moves from one place to another.
• Spend time outside with your child and think about the history that could have been a rock's life.
• Find the ideal outdoor thinking place with your child and designate it as such.
• Have a wind race by blowing objects toward a finish line.
• Breathe into the cold winter air and create your own special clouds.
