Let's Go Outside!: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature

by Jennifer Ward, Susie Ghahremani (Illustrator)

Engage your child in outdoor play, nature outings, and environmental explorations. Chase and be chased in a game of capture the flag. Use the power of the sun to craft your own shadow prints. Explore the stars on a late night walk. Create a field guide to your neighborhood.  Through 52 ideas—some classic and some new— Let's Go Outside! offers a range of activities perfect for children ages 8 to 12. Whether you're in the country, the city, or anywhere in between, this book is sure to help you get outside—and run, dance, hike, or camp—with your preteen.

Sections of the book

   • Back to Reconnecting with twists on traditional games and activities such as Capture the Flag
   • Making the Ordinary Picnics, doing homework outdoors, and socializing opportunities outdoors
   • Outdoor Canoeing, biking, and camping
   • Environmental Ways to explore how nature works

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 14, 2009

About the author

Jennifer Ward is the author of more than 25 award-winning nonfiction and fiction books for children and adults.

Her books have been translated into many languages and featured in Martha Stewart's Living, Ranger Rick, on NPR, television's Animal Planet network, and on many popular blogs such as Soule Mama.

Most of Jennifer's books are inspired by science and nature and artfully combine elements of STEM & literacy.

She writes full-time from her home in Illinois where she lives with her husband and two dogs and is easily distracted by everything outside of her windows - particularly if it has feathers!

Reviews

[Diana of Shelved by Strand]

I will definitely turn to this one again if I hear even one "I'm bored!" this summer. Ward covers all sorts of classics in this one, stuff kids used to do before they were allowed to be summer couch potatoes. She divides the book into 4 sections: Back to Basics (Kick the Can, kites, spy games, and scavenger hunts), Making the Ordinary Extraordinary (shadow prints, flower preserving, and bubble making), Get Your Outdoor Adventure On (camping, fishing, and playing with clay), and Eco-Minded Experiences (toad houses, rain catchers, and backyard bird counting.) A great resource for the outdoors, one I'll have to check out again if we run out of ideas for our In the Dirt Thursdays this summer.

[Meagan]

Unexpectedly great- I was concerned at first that the book would be full of really basic ideas like "Play sports" and "Collect leaves" but it actually taught me a few things, like how to start a compost garden, how to make paper, and even how to play kick the can (apparently it's more than simply kicking a tin can around the yard). On the down side, my tyke is only 2 and most of these activities are for kids at least 3 years old, probably even older. Will definitely be checking it out of the library again in the future.

[Susan]

Part of me is sad we need a book for instructions on how to play "kick the can" but you know, I think we do. In my neck of the woods, kids don't play on the streets very much or run through the long string of back yards like we did when we were kids a thousand years ago. Hopefully in other areas they still play like we once did. Here it is all arranged playdates which is safe but where is the delicious freedom of running amuck in the neighborhood?

[Susie]

My next book project, due out shortly!

[Christina]

I really liked this book. Fun, simple ideas that inspire us to get outside more.

[Tori]

2.5 stars

[Jill]

This book had lots of nice ideas for getting kids connected with the outdoor world. Most of them are easy and cost little to no money. Perfect!