Read an Excerpt
Introduction
There is nothing more joyful and inspiring to watch
than children discovering the world around them.
Whether they're collecting fallen leaves, rolling down
grassy hills, or playing in the waves at the beach—
seeing that wide-eyed wonder in our children is such a
gift. Regardless of the joys that nature can bring, there
has been much disturbing press about the lack of
quality time that children today spend outdoors, along
with startling research and statistics that point to the
detrimental effects this "nature deficit" can cause. And
we see it ourselves. Our children rush around with too
little time, too many gadgets, and too many
distractions, seeking a place to play that is closest to an
electrical outlet. But it doesn't have to be this way.
1 Love Dirt! is a call to parents, educators, and
caregivers to help recover one of the greatest joys in
childhood: spending time outdoors in nature. In five
minutes, you can take children outside and turn their
world around. This book will help you to do that.
These fifty-two open-ended activities offer a wealth
of creative ways to give the outdoors back to your
children. Be it cloud racing, stargazing, making a playdate
with a puddle, or building a bird feeder out of
snow, I Love Dirt! will encourage your kids to explore,
discover, giggle, exercise, wonder, and have a blast
with nature. Sidebars and prompts are used throughout
the book to help you explain basic science and nature
concepts to children. All you need to get started is the
desire to open the door to a healthy relationship with
nature. Soon your little ones will also discover that
spending time outdoors offers the perfect opportunity
to enjoy relaxation, quiet time, reflection, and insight.
The outdoors is at your fingertips, be it a balcony, a
backyard, a porch, or a playground. It is a place just
waiting to be enjoyed and discovered. Time in nature
is cost-free—as are the activities in this book—but the
benefits will stay with your children for a lifetime.
Together we can give the young minds of today—of
our future—the greatest gift of all: an awakened
awareness of the outdoor world.
Thank you for caring enough to pick up this book. It
is the first step to opening the door of discovery just
waiting for you and your children outside. Now get out
there and get dirty!
