Paying homage

Today there is rain in the forecast so I didn't plan on going outside to start a project. Instead I will pay tribute to the people who have inspired me, and in turn my yard. Since I worked as an outdoor educator before my kiddos were born, I have read quite a few books on the subject of teaching people in and about nature. Looking back after having kids and seeing firsthand how they learn, I realized only one of the many books got it right: Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv.  Thus began my mission to actively seek out books that were more in line with how children actually learn. By that I mean allowing children to pick up sticks, poke around with them, throw rocks in a stream, climb trees, pick and *gasp* eat (safe) berries, balance across fallen trees, splash in streams and mud puddles, break stems, pick flowers,  leave the trail, and explore in a free-form way that follows their curiosity. The look-but-don't-touch paradigm will not teach our children to love nature. They need to touch it, smell it, taste it, fully immerse themselves in it, and interact with it.  And THAT is why I am playscaping our yard into a wonderland where our children are free to roam, play, learn, and explore.

My realization and resulting search for more knowledge led me to Ken Finch. He is the founder of Green Hearts Institute for Nature in Childhood who has written several essays and numerous articles on the subject of how children learn and play in nature. My favorite, and maybe his most comprehensive, is his Parents' Guide To Nature Play.  Many of his "kidscaping" ideas are included in my backyard design plan.  I had the privilege of meeting him and attending a seminar he led last summer. I left feeling so hopeful and inspired. It was an amazing feeling. He guided me to another of my nature education heroes, David Sobel.  Mr. Sobel has written many books and articles on place-based education, and how children develop and play in nature. I have read several of them, but for me as a parent, the most profound and inspiring is Wild Play: Parenting Adventures In the Great Outdoors. It is beautiful, honest, heartwrenching at times, and ....well, profoundly inspiring. I was also fortunate enough to attend a discussion led by him.

some of my favorite books on
reconnecting children with nature

Those authors, along with the awesome blogs I follow (you should follow them too!), feed my desire for a constant stream of motivation and knowledge. And of course it still isn't raining, so maybe I'll go outside and find some sticks to build something out of.