I just received a book I ordered called i love dirt by Jennifer Ward. It is a collection of "52 activities to help you and your kids discover the wonders of nature". Sounds great! Sounds like what I am trying to do with this website.

I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature by Jennifer Ward

I've read through a bunch of the activities, although not all of them, and they look really good. They are simple things--such as looking for birds' nests, seeking animals that like the sun, and spying spiderwebs. You don't need to have any science or teaching background to lead your child through these activities.

The book is divided into four sections based on the season. But, depending on where you live you could do many of them in any season. Each one has a highlighted box with a question related to the activity. Ask your child the question to get them thinking. For example, an activity comparing rocks asks the question, "Where do rocks come from?". Don't worry,the answer is there, too.

Ward includes a little background information for each topic, but the whole premise is pretty simple: get outside, observe, think.

The only drawback is that it is so simple. If you want more than a cursory overview of anything, you'll need to do your own research. That's ok by me. It looks like a great way to spark interest in your kids and see where it leads.

I'll highlight a few of these activities over the next few months.

Have any of you used this book? What do you think?

I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature by Jennifer Ward

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