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Earth, Water, Fire and Air Playful Explorations in the 4 Elements
This craft book for children shows how to make a waterwheel, paddle-steamer, propeller plane, parachute, windmill, simple pendulum clock, spinning tops, a little hot-air carousel or roundabout, a hot-air balloon, and lots more. Some suggestions are simple enough for six-year-olds, others challenging enough for a skilful twelve-year-old.
- GenresParentingNonfiction
Paperback
First published October 1, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 11, 2025
Published by Floris Books, Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements (and with my edition, with the edition I read on Open Library hailing from 2010) was first presented in German by Walter Kraul in two separate volumes, as Spielen mit Wasser und Luft (1984) and as Spielen mit Feuer und Erde (1985) and that the English language text for Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements (which obviously combines Spielen mit Wasser und Luft and Spielen mit Feuer und Erde into one) has been translated by Donald Maclean. And while I have not read the original German texts (as I have not been able to find suitably priced copies online), I do think that Maclean's words work well and that Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements should in my opinion therefore be considered a very good, a very decent translation of what Walter Kraul has penned with Spielen mit Wasser und Luft and in Spielen mit Feuer und Erie.
And yes, and indeed, Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements has an absolute treasure trove of fun, engaging and also educational crafts and activities using the so-called four elements (namely water, air, fire and earth), with each section featuring about twenty odd ideas, both indoor and outdoor, both simple and also more complicated ones, so that Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements can thus be used with and for children from about the age of three to twelve and even for teenagers if there is sufficient interest (and with there also being a really nice and delightful marriage of text and images in Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, of descriptive words combined with nicely expressive colour photography and expressive line drawings).
Now I do wish I could rate Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements with more than three stars (as the activities Water Kraul and by extension Donald Maclean showcase and introduce are wonderfully diverse and all look hugely fun to do as well). However, most if not even all of the instructions for the activities presented in Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, they are majorly and frustratingly, annoyingly vague. And while this is alright and unproblematic for the majority of the simple water, fire, earth and air projects, there is no way I could even remotely attempt many of the more complex ones, and that the lack of author guidance and no detailed step-by-step presentations in and throughout Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, yes, this really is hugely frustrating and also more than a bit negatively affects the usefulness of Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements for parents, teachers etc. and in particular for those of us who are physically a trifle clumsy and who do not consider themselves as being talented crafters etc. (and not to mention that in the section featuring earth activities in Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, it should definitely be mentioned that playing with stones, building with stones, picking up stones needs to be done prudently and should not disrupt ecosystems, fossil beds and archaeological sites).
And yes, and indeed, Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements has an absolute treasure trove of fun, engaging and also educational crafts and activities using the so-called four elements (namely water, air, fire and earth), with each section featuring about twenty odd ideas, both indoor and outdoor, both simple and also more complicated ones, so that Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements can thus be used with and for children from about the age of three to twelve and even for teenagers if there is sufficient interest (and with there also being a really nice and delightful marriage of text and images in Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, of descriptive words combined with nicely expressive colour photography and expressive line drawings).
Now I do wish I could rate Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements with more than three stars (as the activities Water Kraul and by extension Donald Maclean showcase and introduce are wonderfully diverse and all look hugely fun to do as well). However, most if not even all of the instructions for the activities presented in Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, they are majorly and frustratingly, annoyingly vague. And while this is alright and unproblematic for the majority of the simple water, fire, earth and air projects, there is no way I could even remotely attempt many of the more complex ones, and that the lack of author guidance and no detailed step-by-step presentations in and throughout Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, yes, this really is hugely frustrating and also more than a bit negatively affects the usefulness of Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements for parents, teachers etc. and in particular for those of us who are physically a trifle clumsy and who do not consider themselves as being talented crafters etc. (and not to mention that in the section featuring earth activities in Earth, Water, Fire and Air: Playful Explorations in the Four Elements, it should definitely be mentioned that playing with stones, building with stones, picking up stones needs to be done prudently and should not disrupt ecosystems, fossil beds and archaeological sites).
May 20, 2010
There are lots of really great ideas in this book for projects parents can do with their kids to help them explore the elements. I liked that the book provides a wide range of activities for different skill levels - from how to make a paper pinwheel to how to construct waterwheel to power a roundabout. I have marked at least a dozen projects that I am interested in trying (but no, not the waterwheel - cool as it sounds).
My complaint, however, that keeps this from a four or five star is that the instructions were so vague. That's fine for the simple projects, but there is no way I could attempt some of the more complex ones the way this book is written. A few more diagrams and more detailed descriptions of the materials needed and the steps involved that don't assume knowledge on the part of the parent would be really helpful. I'd be interested in learning more about a lot of this stuff and would love to do so alongside my kids, but I need a bit more guidance than this book provided.
My complaint, however, that keeps this from a four or five star is that the instructions were so vague. That's fine for the simple projects, but there is no way I could attempt some of the more complex ones the way this book is written. A few more diagrams and more detailed descriptions of the materials needed and the steps involved that don't assume knowledge on the part of the parent would be really helpful. I'd be interested in learning more about a lot of this stuff and would love to do so alongside my kids, but I need a bit more guidance than this book provided.
May 10, 2017
great book, fun, lots of cool ideas and solutions for things to do with earth fire water and air.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews