We did the nature walk scavenger hunt thing, we spread a blanket on the beach and learned about sea life, we even sat in a big hole in the backyard to learn literature analysis. Those really were some of the most fantastic moments with my kids.
There is just something about nature and forests that allows your child to really learn and explore.
I recently read three fabulous books that can help you teach your children math and art using a nature theme. These are books you can use with your little ones to learn math and appreciate nature. You can also use them with your elementary aged children to do those wonderful crafting and art projects that really make the memories. And you can use these books with middle ages and even high schoolers who love to get out and smell that crisp fall air in the woods.
Flow, Spin, Grow
The first is a book called Flow, Spin, Grow by Patchen Barss that will take your young and elementary aged child on an gentle adventure through the fantastic mathematical shapes we see all around us. Spirals and branching shapes are everywhere in nature. You find them everywhere things are growing and moving. This touchingly gently picture book will guide your child through some of the basic mathematical concepts that lead to a better understanding of nature. In advanced term, it is called chaos theory and nonlinear mathematics, but this book is a wonderful way to introduce those topics through their expression in the world around us. I absolutely love this book. It is perfect for anyone with a young child, or an elementary aged student.
Nature Art Workshop
Nature Art Workshop is a collaboration between authors Allison Hetzell, Mikko Sumulong, Katie Brooks, and Sarah Lorraine Edwards to create a complete set of art lessons in a paperback book. This book is not just a drawing course. Many crafting techniques are combined to allow you and your child to explore and recreate the wonders of nature. Lessons range from creating a crown out of flowers your child picks, to painting feathers and acorns. The focus of each project is making art with nature using the actual materials, not just drawing pictures of them. This is a delightful hands-on book that will be one you pull out time and again to create art with your children!
This is an amazing book by Sova Huova for any child older than about ten, although my daughter would have loved it at nine. You are guided by the author through a thorough introduction to all the various tools you need to draw with ink from the different nibs and types of pens to instructions for making your own lightbox. Then your child will learn the basic strokes and techniques for creating textures and patterns. After a brief introduction to the shapes that make up various types of animals, your child launches into a series of animal drawing projects from a ink washed-bear to dry brushing a fox and many, many more. This book is everything your child needs to start illustrating animals, except the actual ink and pens.
