The Children’s Book Review | March 6, 2019
Written by Laura Minter and Tia Williams
Age Range: 7-10
Publisher: GMC Publications (2018)
ISBN: 978-1-78494-404-9
What to Expect: Crafts, Science, Nature, Interactive Projects.
Schools seem to have an endless repertoire of busy-bee activities to keep their young charges occupied and engaged: kids come home laden with finger paintings, play-dough sculptures, tooth-pick bridges, mobiles made from astonishing amounts of construction paper and string, and all manner of breakfast-cereal jewelry. For parents, however, it can feel more challenging to keep these busy minds – so accustomed to being entertained by well-thought-out activities – well … busy. The Big Book of 100 Outdoor Activities not only provides a wealth of such activities but – even better – it situates them outside, keeping the living-room carpet blissfully free of glue.
Written by two real-life mothers with years of hands-on experience as well as blogging fame, The Big Book of 100 Outdoor Activities covers everything from make-believe to crafting, with a sprinkling of education hidden carefully where it won’t be easily noticed by school-weary children. For example, one activity involving the planting of seeds in newspaper pots quietly introduces the word “biodegradable” (p. 29), while children making the “Floral Crown” (p. 136) come away with the names “gypsophila” and “gerbera” alongside the better-known daisies and dandelions. Activities such as making a feather-print cards, making clay snails, and growing your own pizza toppings also encourage readers to get up-close-and-personal with nature, fueling creativity and creative problem-solving as they become comfortable with the unpredictable and un-sanitized outside world. Enjoy browsing through this on rainy days or school-nights, and face that next long stretch of weekend fueled and prepped for an exciting day out.
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About the Authors
Laura Minter and Tia Williams started Little Button Diaries, their crafting and baking blog, in 2013 to show that having children doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things you love. They have won various awards and are based in Brighton, Sussex, UK.
The Big Book of 100 Outdoor Activities, written by Laura Minter and Tia Williams, was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like The Big Book of 100 Outdoor Activities by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Craft Books, Nature Studies, Outdoor Exploration Books, and Science.