The dedication of this book says it all: “Dedicated to the inhabitants of the natural world.”

I love this book.  It is so practical and inviting, and makes you just want to step outside and look around and see what’s happening right there in your garden, in your backyard, in your local park, in the sky….everywhere!

The Nature Connection An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families & Classrooms by Clare Walker Leslie (2010) is about connecting with nature wherever you live – getting in touch with the changing seasons, the animals, birds, insects, frogs, clouds, plants. But it’s not just about what you see, it’s about what you feel too – how being in nature changes you.

There are sections on how to keep a nature journal, draw birds, read the clouds, name the moons, study and draw trees,  notice migratory birds, explore insect life, understand the local water cycle,  know why the sky is different colours throughout the day  and much more.

The book starts with a 2 chapters on How to be a Naturalist and Learning the Sky, followed by a month-by-month guide to exploring nature (This is US based, but easy enough to translate into activities for your location).

Here is a sample activity:

Go outdoors for 15 minutes and walk around for a bit. Don’t talk, just watch and listen. See if you can become part of nature around you. Then, think a bout these questions:

• What is happening around you at this time of day?
• What is the water like?
• What season is it?
• What do you hear?
• Where is it coming from?
• How does being here make you feel? Why?
• What other wild thinks live here?
• What might they be doing?
• Where do they spend the night?

Now find a place to site down and write a short poem about this place.

The author explains that taking notes and filling in charts isn’t the only way to keep a record of nature. It’s important to remember your place in the world and think about what nature means to you.  Here is an example of a story-telling activity:

Tell the first story that comes into your head about a time in nature you remember – scary, funny exciting. Where were you? Were you alone or with friends? How old were  you?

This a book to prompt you to step outside and notice what is going on in nature all around you, wherever you live. It provides ideas of things to look for in the different seasons and gives you ideas of how to record this creatively and simply.

Clare says this book is her guide to help launch you on the most wonderful adventure she can think of, and it’s just beyond your doorstep. It is a great inspiration for not only working with children, but adults too.

Clare is also the author of The Curious Nature Guide (2015), Keeping a Nature Journal (2003)

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