Tag Archives: reading

5 Books to Encourage Your Kids to Play Outside

Yes, it’s summer, and a hot one in much of the United States. Even so, as parents we need to encourage our kids to play outside more. That’s not easy for everyone, especially if the kids don’t play outside as much as they ought to. Whatever the case, it’s time to haul the kids away from their favorite screen and get them to play outside. These books may help with ideas. Buy them or check for them at your local library.

This is important. Too many kids are spending way too little time outside these days. More children are obese. Kids on average spend too much time in front of one screen or another. All too few spend any time at all playing outside on their during any given week. Just compare that to your own childhood, when more kids spent significant parts of the day outside, playing. That’s what I want for my kids. More time outside, playing, just being kids and having fun.

1. Outdoor Parents Outdoor Kids: A Guide to Getting Your Kids Active in the Great Outdoors

Yes, how much you go outside matters quite a bit. If you go out more, your kids will follow. This book is about finding activities you can enjoy together as a family.

2. Great Big Book of Children’s Games: Over 450 Indoor & Outdoor Games for Kids (Ages 3-12)

Yes, this one is for indoor and outdoor games, but the big thing is to play away from the TV and computer screens. I like being reminded of the indoor games kids can play, as sometimes the weather’s not right for playing outside or you have other reasons for keeping the kids in. Doesn’t mean they have to start watching TV or playing on the computer, though.

3. I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature

Yes, you get to be involved too. This book is a reminder to look at the outdoors as a child, not an adult. If you want to help your kids learn about things like bugs, dirt, trees and all the other things they can discover outdoors, this should be a good book for you.

4. Fifteen Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids

Need cheap, simple, quick ways to get outside? That’s what this book is all about. I hope you won’t spend only 15 minutes outside for all of these activities, but if that’s all you have, it’s better than nothing at all.

5. The Green Hour: A Daily Dose of Nature for Happier, Healthier, Smarter Kids

On the other hand, who says fifteen minutes is enough? Go for an hour a day. This book has a variety of projects and ideas for getting the kids to play outside.

Green Books for Christmas Gifts

I love to read. It almost doesn’t matter the topic if I have the time. It’s just a little thing I do.

So of course, recommending books comes naturally to me. And with Christmas being a great time to give books as gifts, here are some ideas:

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder

I got a review copy of this many months ago. While it’s not about going green, it is about something that should be important to all parents… getting their kids to appreciate nature. After all, if they don’t appreciate nature why would they want to protect and preserve it?

Getting out into nature is also vital to children’s development. Video games just don’t cut it. They need to get outside and deal with the dirt, climb some trees, get wet and just have fun. That means more than just sending them out into the back yard.

Get this one for your favorite parents of school aged children, green or no. It’s great food for thought.

Feeding Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Program for Healthy, Safe Nutrition During Pregnancy, Childhood, and Beyond

For the green mom to be. Making homemade baby food is something I’ve really gotten into. So much more flexible than using jarred foods, and my baby already has a clear preference for what I make. Those rare times I resort to jars she is not too happy with me and seems (in my opinion) to eat less.

Sewing Green: 25 Projects Made with Repurposed & Organic Materials

For the green crafter in your life. Sewing is a habit I meant to pick up last summer, until we moved on rather short notice. There’s so much you can do with fabrics you already own.

Grow Your Own Tree Hugger: 101 activities to teach your child how to live green

Kids love to do crafts and do projects. Encouraging them to do ones that get them thinking about the environment is a great idea.

This may come more naturally to some kids than others. Mine have been raiding the recycle bin for reusable items, and bringing in all kinds of natural things from outside to work with. It’s wonderful to see, if a bit messy. I like the idea of encouraging them to do more.

Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

Your home is one of the easiest places to have a green impact on your environment. This book offers green cleaning solutions, personal care items and other things you use around the home.

Wake Up and Smell the Planet: The Non-Pompous, Non-Preachy Grist Guide to Greening Your Day

For the person who needs a lighter approach to going green. This book doesn’t present everything in a serious manner, which can be helpful in getting some people to pay more attention to what it’s saying.