Sharing Nature with Children

This book is THE original tool for connecting kids with nature. Whether you are a parent or a teacher, you will find that this simple, small but comprehensive book will be the dog-eared book on the shelf or the coffee table...or the one that gets loaned out to friends the most. In every place I have taught environmental ed, I have seen activities from this book being used. In fact, so many enviro ed books have borrowed and adapted activities from this book that they have become classics. The best part of this book is that it is a comprehensive teaching tool called "Flow Learning" that works like a cookbook. What I mean by this is that you can pull out just one 'recipe' for an activity, or combine several into the educational equivalent of a full four-course meal. Cornell's book is more than just a nature book, it is a system of four stages called 'Flow Learning', which very simply and effectively models how to facilitate connecting children (yes- even inner city children) with nature. If you don't find this book extremely invaluable, I would probably offer to buy it back from you. After all, I can't seem to get back that last copy I loaned out...

An essential book for any educator, but especially for environmental education. Also good for parents and others who work with children. A way to let them discover the wonders of nature, even in a city.

I had no idea that Joseph Cornell had written a book for children. This is a rare find. (It ranks up there with Robert Walser's little-known treatise on horse-grooming, or Arthur Brand's book of stock quotes.) There are stories here of hope and joy. You really get a sense of Cornell's engagement with a visionary romanticism when he encourages the reader to "let the child see into the world of nature, for there they will find a balm for their sorrows, a calm for their heart, and a palm against time." Cornell filled his boxes with the doodads of youth, and it's wonderful to find him speaking to children without any form of mediation. A must.

Thanks to this book, I have embarked on a new career in environmental education. I always dreamed about it but never realized that I could do it until I was introduced to this book. It is a must have for anyone who works with kids: teachers, parents, youth leaders, babysitters, etc. This book was so instrumental to me, that I gave a copy of it to two of my professors who were most influential in making my first year back in college to persue this new career a success. I know it has had an impact on one of these professors! Even after being introduced to some of the major environmental education programs (i.e.: Project Wild, etc) I still return to this simple book again and again.

Describes Cornell's philosophy of outdoor education and gives instructions for playing outdoor education games that work. This is an excellent guide for educators, camp counselors and scout leaders. Some games are designed to work in forested areas and are difficult to adapt to treeless areas.