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hollyrenee13's review against another edition
4.0
Nothing ground shattering but still some great ideas on things to do outside. It definitly inspired me to do more with the kids outside in nature.
apochemu's review against another edition
4.0
Activity ideas separated by season. I think this book would be best with 6-9 year olds. The activities are easy, not much prep, if any, required so I would consider it open and go. A lot of them are things some kids may naturally do in nature if they're used to being outside (which a lot of kids aren't these days so they might need more adult guidance which this book provides) but it's nice to have for when your mind goes blank and the question prompts keep the discussion going.
mlottermoser's review against another edition
3.0
I picked this up seeking inspiration for getting myself and my children into nature. The book is divided into seasonal activities that introduce a variety of topics. Some of the ideas are impractical for California, but for the most part there are great ideas to spring from. This book is aimed for younger children with parent direction.
lindzebird's review against another edition
2.0
Couldn't decide between two and three stars for this one. I gave it two only because there aren't that many ideas I hadn't seen or heard before and because there aren't that many of them we can actually do in AZ, not that that's the authors problem, but that's why I rated it the way I did.
boygirlparty's review against another edition
The first of a series of books written by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by me, aiming to inspire families to spend more time in nature & the outdoors. The second book (Let's Go Outside) is due out later this year.
mayalaurent's review against another edition
3.0
This is a great book to get ideas on taking your kids out in nature, which we all need to do more. The statistics in the foreward are amazing and helped me realize how important it is to have our son outdoors. I wish the activities could have been a touch more creative but they are a great base to start.
kiramekihoshi's review against another edition
2.0
Short, simple ideas to do with one or two preschool-age children to introduce them to nature.
dreesreads's review against another edition
1.0
This is one odd little book. If I had bought this book I would have been so upset.
I'm not entirely clear on who the audience is. The subtitle says "your kids"--but the activities are for toddlers. At the end of each activity it tells you its supposed benefits--"Stimulates imagination and relaxation".
However, these activities are things kids do on their own. Looking for spiderwebs, counting ladybugs, watching the clouds, looking for bird nests. Kids don't need to be led to these activities. Kids are naturally curious, naturally imaginative, and naturally playful, they do NOT need to be led to imagination--and if you are leading them, it's not really imagination, is it?
And then there are the warnings: try to designate play clothes that are allowed to get dirty!; Do not hold or handle ants of any size; remember to wear sunscreen and a hat; never try to hold a spider; make sure the sun is not shining directly in anyone's eyes; layer and bundle your kids.
The very simplistic explanations (what a blue moon is, how ants smell, what is wind, what are leaves, etc etc) are at a toddler's level, not the parents. Any parent (or older sibling!) who does not already know these things is not the sort of person who would ever buy this book.
Also--this book is assumes you live in the northeastern US. It rains in spring, snows in winter, you have cardinals and blue jays, birds migrate to warmer areas, there are lots of deciduous trees, and summer is the most comfortable season to be outside.
And, um, it does snow in part of the saguaro's native range.
I'm not entirely clear on who the audience is. The subtitle says "your kids"--but the activities are for toddlers. At the end of each activity it tells you its supposed benefits--"Stimulates imagination and relaxation".
However, these activities are things kids do on their own. Looking for spiderwebs, counting ladybugs, watching the clouds, looking for bird nests. Kids don't need to be led to these activities. Kids are naturally curious, naturally imaginative, and naturally playful, they do NOT need to be led to imagination--and if you are leading them, it's not really imagination, is it?
And then there are the warnings: try to designate play clothes that are allowed to get dirty!; Do not hold or handle ants of any size; remember to wear sunscreen and a hat; never try to hold a spider; make sure the sun is not shining directly in anyone's eyes; layer and bundle your kids.
The very simplistic explanations (what a blue moon is, how ants smell, what is wind, what are leaves, etc etc) are at a toddler's level, not the parents. Any parent (or older sibling!) who does not already know these things is not the sort of person who would ever buy this book.
Also--this book is assumes you live in the northeastern US. It rains in spring, snows in winter, you have cardinals and blue jays, birds migrate to warmer areas, there are lots of deciduous trees, and summer is the most comfortable season to be outside.
And, um, it does snow in part of the saguaro's native range.
colbowk's review
2.0
Neat concept, but the ideas weren't all that earth-shattering. Good for a newbie.
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