Nature for the Very Young: A Handbook of Indoor and Outdoor Activities [Paperback]

Marcia Bowden (Author)

Book Description

Series: Wiley Science Editions

A Unique Book on Outdoor Education for Young Children . Nature for the Very Young Nature For the Very Young At school or at home, this lively handbook of inventive and entertaining activities will delight, and educate, children from preschool age to second grade. Nature for the Very Young offers a unique combination of preschool readiness material and learning activities that use nature explorations as a springboard for learning and growing. The lessons are built around background information for the adults and proven learning activities for the children. The teaching aids are presented full scale to facilitate teacher use. Throughout Nature for the Very Young, the material is designed to focus on the basic concepts appropriate to a young child's level of development and ability. These concepts include color recognition, sequencing, body awareness, reading readiness, and other important skills. You will also find invaluable guidance on leading a group of young children on field trips and on keeping the group focused on exploring nature. Whether you are a parent, teacher, day care instructor, camp counselor, or librarian, and no matter what region of the country you live in, Nature for the Very Young offers hours of learning fun, outdoors and indoors.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Shows how to use nature studies to expose children to the wonder and excitement of their environment. This collection of ideas and activities has proven stimulating and effective for both parent-child and teacher-student relationships. Provides a cohesive plan for exploration with each lesson focusing on a specific topic. Lessons contain a large assortment of fun and informative activities for both indoor and outdoor learning sessions. Includes teaching-aid patterns that may be colored, mounted, and laminated.

About the Author

MARCIA BOWDEN lives in the country with her husband and children, two dogs, 10 cats, three ducks, two rabbits, and a herd of goats. Since 1979, through NatureSong, the nature study program she founded, Ms. Bowden has shared her experiences with children in nature centers, libraries, and schools.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (May 17, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047162084X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471620846
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #400,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but not for all parts of the country, January 8, 2006

By 

Nikki (ogallala, ne United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nature for the Very Young: A Handbook of Indoor and Outdoor Activities (Paperback)

I bought this book in hopes that it would have general activities I could use with my children. I would have really liked this book if I lived in a different area of the country. I live in the Sandhills of Nebraska where most of the trees we have are planted windbreaks consisting of mostly Cedars and Cotttonwoods. This book is written with many activities for people who have access to a forest. I can use most of the activities, but will need to drastically adapt nearly half of the book. This being said, these activities do give me a springboard for forming my own activities in relation to nature. It should be noted that the author lives in the country in New England with her own herd of sheep to observe. I think this is a good book, but may be difficult to use for those of use who don't live near forests or who live in the middle of a large city. If I would have been able to look at this book in a bookstore before buying it, I would have left it on the shelf for someone else.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Young children will love the ideas included in this book., December 3, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Long Island, NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nature for the Very Young: A Handbook of Indoor and Outdoor Activities (Paperback)

This was a fun read.Anyone who has young children in their care will benefit from reading this book. The author is both a parent and a teacher and her enthusiasm for teaching about nature comes through in each activity. These activities show a real understanding of children's interests,energy level, and limits. You will walk away with dozens of great ideas that can be used as formal lesson plans or informal teaching/learning opportunities. You will also find fun songs to sing and illustrations which can be used to help with the lessons. You won't be able to resist having fun with these ideas!

5.0 out of 5 stars Super fun ideas!, February 6, 2010

By 

S. Gilstrap - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nature for the Very Young: A Handbook of Indoor and Outdoor Activities (Paperback)

I love this book! I can't wait until it is warmer, so we can do the outdoor activities!