Let Your Kids Go Wild Outside

Let your Kids go Wild Outside by Fiona Bird

Published by Cico

Paperback Edition

18th February 2016

Creative ways for children to spend time outdoors and discover nature.

In an era when the iPad is often more appealing than the park, it can be difficult to encourage kids to get off the couch and go outside. In this inspirational book, with ideas for children of all ages, foraging expert Fiona Bird shows the value of playing outside and discovering nature for children and families alike.

First Fiona teaches children about their environment, including conservation guidelines and tips on how to forecast the weather. Armed with this knowledge, the outside adventure goes Into the Woods, in Chapter 1, with outdoor crafts including making leaf art bunting, a dream catcher, and a woodland broom. In Chapter 2, Meadows, Hedgerows, and Hills, ideas include wild face paints, natural dyeing, and making potpourri. Onward to Chapter 3, Seashore, where children learn how to go beachcombing, identify different seaweeds, play beach hopscotch, and make a mollusk wind chime. In Chapter 4, Water and Wetlands, children learn to make their own charcoal and go on an animal track and poop hunt! For those who don't want to move far from home, there's plenty to do in My Wild Garden and Kitchen, Chapter 5, such as making a snail holiday village and attracting bugs, as well as developing hunting and gathering skills, with seasonal recipes made from natural ingredients.
So let your kids go wild outside, and enjoy watching them learn and blossom.

To be honest, there isn't much else for me to say here as the blurb from the book does it all so neatly that I would only be repeating it.  As the summer holidays are upon us, this is a great book for encouraging less screen time and more outside 'doing' time.  It's a particularly apt book for throwing into the suitcase and taking on holiday with you as some of the chapters lend themselves particularly well to this, especially if, like me, you don't actually live near the sea!  This book certainly has enough ideas inside to keep yourself, and your little ones busy all year round!


G x