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Where Nature Meets Story….
By Sara St. Antoine
Children & Nature Network Senior Writer and
Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation Fellow
December, 2009
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Did you ever read stories about animals when you were young?

Did you get swept up in adventure tales about pioneer families or seafaring pirates or mountain climbers?

Did you have family members who liked to swap funny fishing stories?


Stories about animals, plants, and wild places can be a big part of helping kids connect to nature. Stories let kids know what blossoms and buzzes outside their door. They whet kids’ appetites for outdoor adventure. They make places come alive with the experiences of those who came before us. Stories can even be kids’ own way of letting others know what spending time in nature has meant to them.

For all these reasons, we’ve created this page as a special section of www.childrenandnature.org—a place where you can turn to find ideas for spending time in nature with your kids, as well as lists of great stories to read along the way. We’ll post thoughtful essays here from leading writers, educators, and other experts about the interplay of nature and story. And we’ll feature revolving stories and poems by kids who have spent time in nature and have something to say about what they’ve found. Here are two examples.

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NOTE: Family Activities, Family Stories resources will soon be available online in a variety of ways, with links to books, other web sites, and more. And, this material will be updated, expanded, and enhanced. In the meantime, a PDF version is available for your enjoyment and use! Of the many treasures in this wonderful resource, there are numerous nature-based activities for all seasons and settings. And there are short excerpts from books that are perfect for reading aloud to children—ways to bond with each other, the magic of words, and nature itself.
[+] Click here to download [PDF]

For more great ideas, also see www.naturerocks.org.
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And, always take precautions to assure everyone’s safety when enjoying the outdoors!
"If you go with long-term significance, my pick for the top story of not only 2009 but also of the 21st Century is the pandemic of Nature Deficit Disorder, a term so aptly coined by Richard Louv in his best-selling outdoor book, Last Child in the Woods...."
— Bill Schneider, NewWest.Net
“Concerns about long-term consequences—affecting emotional well-being, physical health, learning abilities, environmental consciousness—have spawned a national movement to ‘leave no child inside.’ In recent months, it has been the focus of Capitol Hill hearings, state legislative action, grassroots projects, a U.S. Forest Service initiative to get more children into the woods and a national effort to promote a ‘green hour’ in each day.”
— Washington Post, June 2007
“The movement to reconnect children to the natural world has arisen quickly, spontaneously, and across the usual social, political, and economic dividing lines.”
— Orion magazine, March/April 2007

Last Child in the Woods: Second Edition

BookIncludes updated research, a progress report on the movement and an all new "Field Guide" with 100 practical actions we can take and 35 discussion points for book groups, classrooms, and communities.
[>] Order from Amazon
[>] Order from IndieBound
[+] Other recommended reading

Just for Parents

Resources, tools, and Inspiration for parents and caregivers. Visit Nature Rocks!

NEW - Nature Clubs for Families Tool Kit

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Download the Tool Kit [>]
The Tool Kit includes a Quick Start Guide with simple instructions on how to start a local Nature Club for Families.