Here in Atlanta where I live, the weather has been nice since the beginning of March, which means my kids have already exhausted Hide n’ Seek, Freeze Tag, and two entire boxes of sidewalk chalk. So when I saw this book when I was at the Mom 2.0 Summit in New Orleans last week, I knew I had to pick it up.
All it took was one quick flip through Jennifer Ward’s Let’s Go Outside!: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get Your Kids Closer to Nature for me to know that I had to buy it. Packed with great ideas for kid-friendly outdoor fun, Let’s Go Outside! features four easy-to-read sections complemented by the whimsical art of CMP fave artist Susie Ghahremani.
So far, we’ve done almost everything in the “Back to the Basics” section, which highlights old-fashioned games from when I was a kid, like Kick the Can, Capture the Flag, and ten different kids of tag. All of the games are aimed at older kids (8-12) but easily adapted for the younger set.
I’m also loving the Making the Ordinary Extraordinary which takes regular activities like picnics and scavenger hunts and turns them up a notch with educational twists and extra fun. You’ll also find tips on how to start a small garden, go fishing, or even pan for gold. (Who knows–maybe the book will pay for itself!)
If you’re already a super creative outdoorsy-type, then this book might be a little basic for you. But for those of us who could use a little extra help in the Parks and Rec department, this is a sure fire way to cure summer time boredom–which I fear might start to set in at the beginning of May around here. -Kristen
Purchase Let’s Go Outside! by Jennifer Ward at our affiliate Amazon.com
