Nature Play Workshop for Families: A Guide to 40+ Outdoor Learning Experiences in All Seasons (Workshop for Kids) by Monica Wiedel-Lubinski

With this fun and practical guide to outdoor play, be inspired to unplug and spark a nature connection vital for children’s healthy growth and development. *Winner of the 2020 National Outdoor Book Award in the Children’s Category* Children and families are plugged into electronics and often disconnected from direct experiences in nature. This beautifully photographed, highly visual resource offers tangible approaches to nature-based learning and play for children. Parents and teachers discover the benefits of outdoor learning and simple ways to facilitate unplugged nature connection in every season. Inspired by nature preschools, forest kindergartens, and forest school models the world over, this guide also includes “Voices from the Field” with advice from experienced nature-based educators. This insightful reference balances nature play experiences with hands-on projects using natural materials and is an ideal jumping off point for immersive nature play. Read more

From the Publisher Make It Wild: Insect Observation NATURE PLAY EXPERIENCE Nocturnal Life Nighttime in summer is a treat for the senses! Watching fireflies blink and listening to night sounds such as tree frogs, and other nocturnal creatures is fascinating. Enjoy the summer evening with a “sit spot” experience. Head outside, find a place to sit, and bring awareness to the sights and sounds around you. Meditation, breathing, or mindfulness techniques can intensify the experience. Don’t use a flashlight! Like other animals, our eyes naturally adjust to the changing level of light as darkness falls. PROCESS Hang the sheet on a clothesline or rope tied between trees. Set up a light (black light works best) to illuminate the sheet. Observe and photograph the creatures that appear on the sheet. EXTENDING THE EXPERIENCE Leave your sheet out overnight and check it the next day. Are there other creatures that were not present during your nighttime observation? KEEP IT WILD Moths are attracted to all types of artificial light, especially to ultraviolet light. Recent studies show how certain species of moths are evolving to avoid artificial light sources. This moth evolution could decrease pollination and food sources for nocturnal animals such as bats. Eek! Unless you need outdoor lights, please turn them off. MATERIALS White or light-colored bedsheet Clothesline or rope Black light, flashlight, or any other type of light Camera Make It Wild: Will It Rot? | Conduct a simple experiment to discover how long these items will take to return to the soil. Explore a wild space to observe autumn flowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees. Which plants and plant parts have faded or fallen to the ground? How will these natural objects return to the soil? Do you think they will decompose or sprout next spring? Scout the area for rotting logs and examine them closely. How does the bark feel? Rough and sturdy? Spongy and soft? What is growing on or near the log? Choose a log and gently roll it away from you as if you are opening the front door to a hidden home. Watch quietly for a few moments to observe movement under the log. What can you spy under this log? When you are finished, gently roll the log back into place to “close the door” and respect this habitat.