Nature Play Workshop for Families

"Nature Play Workshop for Families" presents a comprehensive collection of nature activities for families with children of all ages. An introduction to nature play opens the book, which is divided into sections according to seasons plus an additional chapter on year-round nature play. Colorful photos, step by step instructions, and a list of materials are included for each two-page featured activity. Activity extensions serve as a follow-up for each activity. The final segment of the book includes short essays on child development, urban nature projects, and differing perspectives on nature play. An appendix features templates that can be used as a basis for the projects. Emphasis is placed on enjoying nature in a variety of ways, with some structure but also room for unplanned and spontaneous interactions.

This book serves as an exceptional resource for any care-givers, parents, guardians, or teachers who seek a complete resource of outdoor activities to be enjoyed with children. Learning about nature and the environment add value to the nature play projects and activities.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

I simply cannot praise this book enough! Being out and involved in nature is SO IMPORTANT for us all especially are children. I love that this book aims to teach young people to explore, experiment and be involved in nature. There are so many things they can do that not only can educate but can be exciting and fun.

Highly recommend this book to families that are wanting to get there kids outside and active.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

What a stellar collection of activities for kids and families! This will be a welcome addition to our Youth Services materials.

Nature play is quite popular right now (rightly so) and there are quite a few books like this that have been released recently. This is another good addition, with seasonal ideas for nature activities and lots of color photos.

I put out a free nature magazine for kids (http://magicalchildhood.com/wildkids/) and many of the ideas here are the sorts of things I've included in Wild Kids -- things like making a sun dial from rocks or shells, making a terrarium (ours was simply a jar from the recycling upside down on its lid, with moss transplanted from a shady area) and making a shelter (they call it a stick fort). Some foraging activities are included in the book but they are generally lacking in ID information. There are also the typical nature crafts -- make pine cone bird feeders, nature mandalas and mud pies, etc.

All in all this is a good book for families starting in their nature adventures, but might not hold a lot of new material for those who are already experienced in the matter. It's still a solid entry in the growing number of great nature themed activity books for families.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.

Nature Play Workshop for Families is a wonderful collection of outdoor play experiences.

I appreciated that the activities discussed range in their goals, from purely open ended to more guided and with a final result like crafts. I know many families and educators struggle with how to engage in the more open ended, exploratory and at times risky play, and think this book can be a wonderful introduction to implement and guide.

There are experiences that develop a wide range of skills from fine motor, gross motor, dramatic play, to math and science. Beyond that, the experiences are accessible no matter your environment, requiring only a place to be outside. There is truly something for everyone here.

I will certainly use this book as an educator myself and would recommend it, or more specifically some activities in if, to parents.

This was certainly a fun book to read…and desperately needed to help families entertain and educate their children in this season of the pandemic. I consider myself pretty decent when thrown in the outdoors, and I loved how this book gave many very good projects to do with children in every season of the year. Most were simple…just get out and play with things you find. It was also pretty interesting how each activity could have extended impact also. The whole idea of the book was how to get outside with your family and see all the things that are at your fingertips…and mostly free. All in all, this is a very inspiring, uplifting book of activities to do with your family.

There is actually quite a lot to love about this book. Firstly, there is so much vibrant colour throughout that you just want to keep turning the pages to discover more. The photos are also an incredible array of colour and discovery, drawing you in to keep learning and reading from the book.
The pages are neatly displayed with a description of the experience, materials you need, the process and how you can extend the experience further. I particularly like the 'Keep it Wild' section on each activity, which encourages you to give back and embrace nature, it's about discovering what happens when you let nature be. The book covers experiences for each of the seasons, as well as year-round activities that are not confined to time.
A section that many carers or preschool teachers will find quite beneficial is the 'Voices from the field' section. Nature-based educators have come together to share their wisdom on how you can explore nature with children while linking them with child development, social interactions and personal connections.
The templates at the end finish the book off so well. These can easily be photocopied to use with a classroom or with a group of children so they can observe nature and chart changes. There is a wonderful template for a scavenger hunt which does have a squirrel on it so it won't suit all countries but will give you great ideas for developing your own.
I think this book is going to be a fantastic resource for many. It has so many ideas that will spark your own imagination to try new and wonderful things in nature.

What a great book this is for the whole family - given the Covid 19 times, what a great time to get out with the kids, experience some nature, get some extra vitamins into the body via sun and learn about having fun outdoors.
This book is separated into the seasons and each task included Nature play Experience, Make it Wild, Keep it Wild and Extending the Experience. There are flowers, seeds, foraging, shelter, frost, returning to the soil, plant dyeing, and much, much more in this book of ideas for the whole family to spend some time and learn things from our surrounding, no matter what the season

Kudos to any parent willing to give up their phone time to actually taking a kid out in nature. I grew up immersed in nature with barely any watching parent. Four amazing seasons and a ton of fresh ideas make up the pages of this beautifully crafted book.

What did I like? The sundial was a perfect start to this book, anyone not knowing how to make one is quickly inundated with a perfect array of pictures. The best how to books make the most of the pictures, and whoever took the photographs in this book was talented. I loved how the book was divided by seasons, and ended up with any kind of play. I would say most of the activities need a parents interaction but it really depends on the child’s level of attention.

Would I recommend or buy? I found most of these ideas were pretty cute and unique. I would definitely grab a copy for my grandkids. I’d recommend it to people looking to have some fun with their kids, teach your kids a craft, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

Thoughts for the author? Loved it! More people need to spend more time with their kids, and spend it relaxing in nature. I was given a copy to read and offer an honest opinion. Kudos, I hope a lot of kids benefit from this book.

Nature Play Workshop for Families provides some really creative opportunities for structured learning experiences outside while still completely allowing for play, which happens with kiddos no matter how much of a schedule or agenda you have! I loved that element of this book - we live on a farm and are outside frequently, but sometimes I feel like I want slightly more structured projects or activities for all of us to do together. Nature Play Workshop provides that, and we had a blast doing some of the activities in here!

The book is organized by season and then has year-round activities. The authors also included resources for parents to learn more about nature play, AND, there’s a section about how to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into your nature play. My heart was giddy when I saw that. It is *almost* perfect, but I’m trying to figure out why they didn’t use an Indigenous person for that section. I love that Sally Anderson suggests people visit and consult with Indigenous communities local to them rather than homogenizing Natives, and I really loved the information. I do wish it had been a Native educator or activist, though. Just food for thought!

One thing I would say is that some of them were a little involved for my 3- and 5-year-old boys’ attention spans. We’d get partially through and then they’d just go back to using sticks for hitting everything in sight, because sometimes they took quite a bit of setting up. But I don’t think this is A) the fault of the authors or the activities in this book or B) a bad thing. Nature Play Workshop has activities that allow you to be as simple or as complex as you want, have time and energy for, and have the resources for. I also think as we do more and more of these activities, my own kids will get used to the idea of having more structure outside.

I also loved the way that the authors created activities so children can be really involved. Sometimes, activities end up taking SO much parental time and energy for not a whole lot of engagement for the kids, and those are pretty defeating. Nature Play Workshop seems to encourage kiddos being engaged every step of the way - whatever engagement looks like for your particular child. There are also templates for organizing observations and games, which will come in really handy.

Each parent and each child has a different threshold for the process of getting activities set up, attention spans, desire for creative vs. practical play and exploration, and experience with nature-based learning. This book will truly work for anyone. I can’t wait to pick up a hard copy so I have all of these ideas and resources at the tip of my fingers. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advance copy!

Nature Play Workshop for Families by Monica Wiedel-Lbuinski; Karen Madigan is a great book for family adventurers. Wonderful ideas, directions and lovely photos. I'm adding this to my gift giving list for all the young and young at heart families that I know!

I really really enjoyed looking through this book. My son is almost 16 months old and since he was born we've gone on a lot of walks and hikes. I like being outside with him and getting fresh air. I love that this book explains what nature play is and then breaks it down by season for different ideas. I have never heard the term mature play before but am very much liking it and liking the idea of letting a child safely and at their own pace explore an outside space and check things out for themselves. If you have little ones of your own or in your life, I recommend reading through this book for some great ideas for outside time.

With all of the electronic activities available, there is still much for kids to do outside. The Nature Play Workshop for Families provides fun activities that help kids learn while enjoying being outside.

Broken down into the four seasons, with a section of activities that can be done any time of the year, the book has plenty to keep kids going. Each activity is easy to understand, and clear directions are provided. Colorful pictures help kids see what the end result is.

This book is a good way for families to get out and enjoy fresh air while they learn together. The basics of nature play, and why it’s important, are detailed so that parents can be prepared to help their kids get outside.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The tieing of this book couldn't be better with the current climate in the world. Now days I find lots of children are given a tablet or sat in front on TV and thats it, which is all the more easy in lock down. I love that these ideas get children out playing and connecting with nature to help with their development. Lovely guide with lots of ideas to get families outside into nature with their children.

Thank you netgallery for the E-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Thank you to @Netgalley and Quatro Publishing/Quarry @quartokids for letting me preview this amazing book Nature Play Workshop For Families by Monica Wiedel-Lubinski & Karen Madigan.

The timing of this book is perfect. If you are like me I am looking for ideas to do with the children that can be done at a safe distance. This book is filled with wonderful ideas and activities that can be done in your yard or at the park/nature trail. No special supplies are needed, you can use what is around you.

What I loved about the book is the easy to follow layout. Each activity has simple directions along with beautiful photos. All the activities are divided by seasons which makes it easy to plan outings and activities. The last two chapters are activities you can do anytime. I set up an easy to do scavenger hunt that we did in our own backyard. I only had to print out a page from the back of the book. We grabbed our magnifying glass and headed out to the garden.

If you don’t have children yourself, this book would make a great gift to give to your grandchildren or other young children in your life.

I am not particularly "outdoorsy." However, my husband and son are, and with social distancing, it's become increasingly necessary to find outdoor things to do that can help with social distancing. In addition, I've started foraging for various plants to use in herbal salves and oils, and my 4-year-old finds this very intriguing. This book has really helped a lot with finding various activities that are kid appropriate. It's not just about learning, but about learning by playing, and incorporates observations, building, and cooking. It's also separated by season, which I think is the most helpful way to organize this type of book. I recommend this for anyone looking for creative ideas for outdoor activities with their kids.

Lots of lovely ideas here for things to do with your family. I think getting children outdoors is so important so it's good to flick through and find an idea.

We are huge fans of nature play, as it gives Ada a chance to truly explore the world round her. This book is excellent, as it really gives us great ideas of how we can engage with her, with various ideas, activities and ways to do so. We loved this book and so did Ada.

A wonderful book for parents (and early childhood teachers) looking for nature activities for their children. The book is divided by season, making it easy to find something to do depending on the weather. This will be a great resource for many parents who suddenly find themselves homeschooling children of several ages. Appropriate activities for ages 2 and up.

Great ideas for parents and educators seeking to get children outside! Great seasonal and year-round activities!