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Last Child in the Woods
Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
by Richard Louv
Review by Felicia Elpel

"I like to play indoors better because that is where all the electrical outlets are."
--4th grader from San Diego, California

      How many parents have heard a similar statement from their children? With the increase in technology, so comes a decrease in outdoor activities, and any physical activity for that matter. More and more of the world's children are succumbing to this epidemic. They are suffering from preventable ailments such as obesity, depression, and attention disorders as a result. What can we do to help?

      Richard Louv has written a comprehensive guide to help slow and hopefully stop this quickly escalating problem. It is a drug-free method of getting kids back on track through nature. Because children are mostly sensory learners, they rely on outside stimulation to help them understand their world. Louv suggests ways to use nature to help stimulate the pathways of the child. Simple exercises such as nature journaling and animal spotting spark the child's natural ability to learn.

      This book is a must read for parents and educators alike. Lets help get kids back outside and in touch with the wild.

Sharing Nature with Children
20th Anniversary Edition
by Joseph Cornell

      Sharing Nature with Children is a classic resource in the field of environmental education. A favorite among educators, camp counselors, parents, and grandparents, Sharing Nature is a delightful book full of activities to engage children in nature, nurturing an environmental ethic and a lifelong appreciation for the outdoors. Activities from Joseph Cornell's book have been adopted by environmental education programs around the world. It is a great resource for anyone concerned with nature deficit disorder and interested in the No Child Left Inside movement.

      For this 20th anniversary edition, Cornell drew upon a wealth of additional experience in nature education to significantly revise and expand the book. New nature games and Cornell's insightful commentary makes the second edition of this classic even more valuable to nature lovers worldwide. The Sharing Nature movement that Cornell pioneered has now expanded to countries all over the globe. Recommended by Boy Scouts of America, American Camping Association, National Audubon Society and many others. 176 pages. Dawn Publications. ISBN 1-883220-73-4.

Sharing Nature with Children II
      This second volume, formerly titled Sharing the Joy of Nature, is a treasury of some of Cornell's favorite nature games for adults and children. Joseph also introduces his technique of Flow Learning, showing how to match nature activities to the interest and energy levels of children, and to organize them in a way that works, placing them in thematic sequence to ensure a genuinely uplifting experience. Cornell's unique blend of knowledge and warmth creates a contagious atmosphere for learning. 176 pages. Dawn Publications. ISBN 1-883220-87-4.

Sharing Nature with Children     $10.00     Quantity:

Sharing Nature with Children II     $10.00     Quantity:

Rediscovery: Ancient Paths, New Directions
Outdoor Activities Based on Native Traditions
by Thom Henley

      For more than twenty-five years, the Rediscovery program has drawn from the timeless wisdom of native American elders to help teach youth, native American and otherwise, to respect the earth and each other. Today dozens of Rediscovery programs have been developed around the world, helping indigenous youth to rediscover their heritage and allowing others the opportunity to learn important lessons about balance and harmony with our environment. Youth of all ages and backgrounds are inspired to discover and respect the world within themselves, the cultural worlds between each other, and the natural world around them. This book reflects the contributions of more than thirty different native cultures represented in the Rediscovery circle of wilderness camps.

      This expanded edition includes more than 130 activities based on the spirit of sharing and caring, communicating with other cultures, and connecting with our natural environment. Schools and youth groups everywhere will be able to use these activities when they gather to reacquaint themselves with their place in nature. Lone Pine Publishing. Second Edition, 1996. ISBN: 978-1551050775. 352 pages.

      About the Author: Thom Henley is a founder of the Rediscovery program and a tireless campaigner for the preservation of wilderness areas and traditional lands. He has traveled to more than 70 countries, to live with and learn from indigenous peoples. He has lectured in fifteen countries and has received numerous international and national conservation and human rights awards, among them the prestigious Sol Feinstone Award from the State University of New York.

Rediscovery: Ancient Paths, New Directions     $20.00     Quantity:

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