Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8605 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Synopsis
Oh, what fun a child can have by jumping in mud puddles, collecting bugs and listening to birds! And yet, many children today have become so occupied with TV, computers and video games that unstructured outdoor play is sadly becoming a thing of the past. I LOVE DIRT! is a call to parents, educators and caregivers to help children recover one of the great joys of childhood. Through 52 activities, readers will find a wealth of creative ways to actively engage children, ages four to nine, in nature. Each activity presents an open-ended project meant to promote exploration, stimulate imagination and heighten a sense of wonder: Bug Lullabies challenge kids to use their sense of hearing to pick out insect noises; in Cloud races children are engaged in a fun contest to see whose cloud reaches the designated finish line first: "Help Me Understand" sidebars provide answers to potential questions such as "What's a cloud?" - as well as fun science facts, making this a wonderful resource for any adult fostering a child's growth

Customer Reviews

Simply - perhaps too simply - Good
This book is a curious mix of brilliance and boredom. I am writing this review from a teaching perspective, although in theory it is suitable for parents and anyone who wants to go outside with children. Here's my thoughts:

1) There are some really useful facts in here. It is an American book so, take heed and remember that hummingbirds don't exist in the wild here and we have different names for many creatures.

2) The open-ended ideas may take significant adaptation to work with a class...but the book is inspirational and I found myself thinking of numerous pre and post actvities to create lessons around the suggestions.

3) No special equipment is needed. Hurray! The activities are predominantly sensory, supplemented by suggestions for questions, etc.

4) Some of the suggestions are stating the obvious and are a bit dull for many children beyond 6 years old. I cannot imagine a class of ten year olds willingly engaging in some of the drama / movement based activities.

5) The ideas go beyond plants and animals and cover aspects of weather, seasons, astronomy which give the book a welcome breadth in terms of wider science concepts.

6) The book is a handy small size which means its portable. The layout is straightforward. The "Help me understand" boxes are definitely aimed towards the under-7's age. The tick boxes at the end of each section don't appear to relate to any specific curriculum or attainment target, so the purpose is unclear and unexplained.

Having said all of this, I know I will be referring to this book frequently. It is a memory jogger and great for emergency ideas when I'm out and about with children of all ages. It is definitely a useful addition to my bookshelf and backpack. This is why I'm giving it a 4 star rating.

It may be worthwhile looking at the range of reviews on Amazon.com if you remain unsure as to whether to buy this book.