Forest Club

This is an informative and interactive book. It provides information bout the forest, its flora and fauna, and activities that can be done with things readily available. The book is divided by season, which is quite unique. Not only does it have activities that are simple to achieve. It provides children with an opportunity to go outside and have fun with nature. As far as aesthetics go the illustrations are bright and catchy. the diagrams are easy to understand. All the activities give a list of materials needed, as well as easy to follow instructions. If I lived near a wooded area with discernible seasons I know I would enjoy this book. I believe this would be a fun addition to any household.

Not only is this an incredible education resource about forest ecosystems, it's fun and cute. Kids aged 4 - 8 will enjoy the activities outlined and the simple, bright illustrations. The information is basic enough for this age range, but detailed enough to challenge them. It is shorter than I expected, only 49 pages, but I like the length. Kids will learn how to identify trees, appropriately observe nature, and even build a shelter in the forest. One o the activities encourages kids to collect forest materials and build their own bird nest. What a creative and effective active learning tool!

The book would make a great addition to any kindergarten - grade 3 classroom.

Review to come in June.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I always have soft spot for these nature + activity books. I know that back when I was a kid I was very adventurous, always looking for something and these books would have been perfect for me when I was a kid.

This book lists all sorts of things you can encounter in nature. From forests and leaves to creepy crawlers (I know the book calls them mini-beasts, but I am just not a fan of insects, just a few are on my list of I wouldn't mind getting close to these) to day/night viewings, seasons and plenty of more. It is a delightful and fun book, and I was eager to flip (or well scroll as I had an ebook) the pages to find out what kind of things would be on the next page.

Between each nugget of information there are fun activities to try out that fit with the information you just learned. Often by using materials found or seen around you. Some are fairly easy, some are a bit harder. I loved the variety in the activities, you got some ones that require you to do a lot, some that require some thinking, but there are also ones that are relaxing like the meditating or drinking a hot drink. Quite a few of the activities are ones I already know, but I also found a few new ones.

I am pretty sure that wasps will just murder you if you touch their nest, or even come close. Sorry, but I don't believe that wasps may sting you, they will sting you. Wasps are evil little *insert some not so nice words*. My fiance for example was just outside to have a bit of a walk after eating lunch and there was nothing he did (nor any nests nearby) but he got stung pretty badly by a wasp. Multiple times. Until he killed the little *insert some more words* And that is just one example. I can give other examples. Wasps are just evil.

Big plus points to the fact that this book is accessible for people all over the world. I have read plenty of English books about nature/animals which mainly focus on the US. So it pleases me when I find a nature book that can be used wherever you are. <3

I love how the book mixes illustrations with photographs. That is always a big plus in my book, especially when it is done as well as it is in this book. The illustrations are also very fun (and also cute) and they fit perfectly with the book.

At the end there is a note for parents/teachers, what equipment is handy to have with you, clothing advice, and some sites to check out.

All in all, a book I would highly recommend. I had tons of fun reading it and I am going to try out some of the activities.

A comprehensive overview of forest and nature related activity all through the year. The book provides ample, simple activities that children can do independently or as a classroom. Many activities involve observation and simple equipment that people can make at home. Highly recommend for nature clubs, classrooms, for families which place emphasis on outdoor activity.

Given the huge emphasis on technology and the amount of time designated as screen time, it is high time we redressed the balance by re/introducing children to nature and the beautiful world around them. This book is full of intriguing information and fun for youngsters to enjoy and get involved in. There is something to fire up any child's imagination and help them to re/connect with nature.

The book is split into Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring sections respectively. The Summer section includes fascinating information on tree and leaf types. The Fall discusses the fruits of fall, seeds, nuts and fungi. Winter looks at evergreen trees, hibernation and migration and Spring explores the signs of spring, common flowers and animal tracks.

Each section has related activities interspersed throughout the pages of information. There is also a helpful section at the back which is directed at parents and teachers and lists the tools, clothing and equipment needed to carry out the activities; most of these you will either have already or are inexpensive to purchase.

Exploring the nature that surrounds them should be an integral part of childhood but it is becoming less popular in this technological age. There is a shocking, proven connection between the decline in natural play and the decline in children’s wellbeing—Obesity, anti-social behaviour, friendlessness and fear are the known consequences of little to no outside play. It is clear play is needed to create a rounded individual.

This is a concise, accessible and informative book with just the right amount of text and illustrations which complement the information perfectly. The activities range from simple to complex and allow children to get hands-on. An educational, important and superbly constructed book. Many thanks to words & pictures for an ARC.

Nature is a subject that's close to my heart, as we have homeschooled all five of our children relying heavily on nature as our classroom. I also have written books about homeschooling with nature studies and foraging (acorns and elderberries) and I put out a free monthly nature magazine (Wild Kids Magazine), so nature is obviously near and dear to me.

This is a sweet book that has lots of information about nature for young kids, along with seasonal ways to enjoy nature. The information itself is my favorite part. Each season has a little intro with lots of colorful illustrations and talk about what various animals and plants are doing this time of year (for instance, how frogs, fish, bears, squirrels, etc. react differently during the cold months even among fish species). The drawings and colorful and fun. Then each season has an assortment of ways to enjoy nature during that time period.

Most of the activities are best suited for fairly young children. Most are very simple and many are ones families are likely to have done already. Examples of spring activities are planting seeds, playing tic tac toe with twigs and rocks, and trying to make a nest out of natural materials. Summer activities include shaking a bush onto a white sheet to see what bugs fall onto it, pressing flowers, building a tarp shelter (stretch a rope between two trees and drape a tarp over it), and making a pond viewer (cut both ends of a two liter plastic bottle and rubber band a piece of saran wrap over one end so you can put it in the water and view inside the pond). Examples of fall activities are painting with raspberries, doing leaf rubbings and collecting nuts (not to use them, just to try to gather more than your friends). Examples of winter activities are smelling pine needles, drinking a hot drink outside and doing bark rubbings.

There were a few activities that did interest me that we haven't done yet (like making spore prints of mushrooms, which has been on my to-do list for a long time) but for the most part they were very, very basic. This will not be a problem for families with very young kids or those who are not used to doing anything in nature, but it may lead to some disappointment for those who are veterans of nature fun.

As mentioned, the informative parts of the book about migration, trees, etc. are well done and the illustrations are very cheerful and fun. This would make a great addition to a nature study library for day cares, nature centers, preschools, kindergarten classrooms and homes with young children.

My rating system:

1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost

I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.

Forest Club is a great introduction for young readers and their caregivers who may be embarking on adventures into nature for the first time. Notes at the beginning and end of the book offer encouraging reminders that parents and caregivers can be children’s first nature guides, but it doesn’t need to feel overwhelming or intimidating: kids are born to be nature explorers! And this book is a great guide to begin exploring together.

The information is abundant, but presented in an easy-to-understand and attractive way – each page offers a lot of knowledge, but it never feels overwhelming. A diverse group of kids and caregivers are depicted enjoying nature. The illustrations are interesting, detailed, and pretty accurate: although not super-realistic, readers could probably still identify most plants and animals they find on their adventures by using the drawings in the book. On many pages, photographs of natural objects are included as well. The hands-on activity ideas are numerous and enticing, and with easy-to-follow instructions that don’t require a lot of materials or effort, they are perfect for a quick excursion into nature on a free afternoon for any level of experience (probably most useful for preschool age and up). Suggested activities include leaf rubbing, shelter building, berry painting, animal tracking, and many more.

You can use this book from season to season, or from setting to setting: from forest to pond, from day to night, from up in the sky to down on the ground. The book includes ideas for nature treasures to be found in every season, from seeds to nuts to fallen leaves to icicles. It offers suggestions of changes to notice from season to season, and encourages readers to experience nature with all their senses: the sights all around, the sounds of animal calls, the feel of different trees’ bark, the scents of different flowers, even the tastes of some berries (with a note of caution that some can be poisonous!).

I love this book’s encouraging, accessible tone: you don’t need special equipment or a nearby national park to go on a nature adventure. Anyone can get outside, explore, have fun, and learn – right in their own backyard with objects they’ve probably already got at home! The book encourages low-stress, easy access adventures: get out in your backyard, let your child explore at their pace as you supervise, and have fun and slow down together!

A list of suggested ways to further encourage a love of nature in children is included in the back matter, as well as an index and a list of resources about the Free Forest School and related programs. I can see this book being used as a household guide by parents and caregivers, but I can also see the “Club” part of the title put into action with a group of kids and caregivers – friends, play groups, scouts, homeschool groups, etc. – gathering over the course of a year to complete the activities. I’m looking forward to using this book with my own toddler, starting with the simple ideas and activities and adding more concepts and complexity as he grows up, as it’s definitely a book that can be useful across ages and stages.


Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.


{ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own;
your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

I loved this book that encourages children and adults to get out and enjoy nature. As noted in the foreword, "discovering the natural world should be a part of every childhood." This cannot be overstated in my opinion. Now, enjoy the summer, get away from the devices and see all that the world has to offer with this book as your guide.

The book is divided by seasons, starting with summer and ending with spring. In each section, there are ideas of things to observe in nature from trees, to flowers, to critters and more. There are also lots of suggested activities. A few examples:

Summer:

Leaf types, What's in a Leaf?, Leaf rubbings, the Forest at Night

Fall:

Danger! Poison!, Nut Collecting, Fungi and Lichen, Migration

Winter:

Below the Ice, Slowing Down, Winter Treasures

Spring:

Signs of Spring, Sprouting Seeds, Flower Pressing, Rivers, Streams and Creeks. Also, Twig Racing, Plaster Casting

The text is illustrated in a most appealing way. The color palette changes with each season.

I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley the publisher for this read in return for an honest review.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I love this book for kids on different activities that they can do involving nature throughout the year. Great for homeschoolers, teachers and librarians.

This fun book has tons of information on just about everything you can find and discover outdoors! It is packed full of fun facts about the forest and all that can be discovered within it. Each bit of information is paired with cute but still rather accurate illustrations of the flora and fauna, making this the perfect book for adventure and nature-obsessed littles!

Learn to identify trees, leaves, fungi, and more. Observe your natural surroundings and learn what to looks for on nature hikes, such as birds, deer, and even snakes. There's plenty to learn about wildlife, from their habitats and dens to their identifying tracks and the sounds they make.

Split into four sections for each of the four seasons, this fun learning and activity book will keep you busy outdoors all year long. Activities include lots of fun things to do or try, such as tree leaf rubbings, building a lean-to, making ink from berries, and more.

We reviewed the ebook version of this but I am confident that the physical copy is just as amazing, and probably much easier to take with on outdoor adventures. The illustrations are well done with lots of details and there are plenty of activities and crafts mixed in to give everyone even more reason to spend time outdoors and respectfully observe and discover more of nature.