As we head into fall it may feel a bit harder to get outdoors. With leaves changing, and the weather cooling down, it’s a perfect time to get your kiddos outside to soak in some Vitamin N (Nature).
The new children’s book, The Rowdy Randy Wild West Show, was inspired by the wildlife of the West. Casey Rislov, 7x award-winning children’s book author, shares these tips for having fun in nature with your kids this fall.
"The Rowdy Randy series was inspired by the wildlife of the West,” says Rislov. “ Many people travel to Yellowstone and other National Parks to see these magnificent creatures. Rowdy Randy, the cowgirl horsefly, came about as the main character after we decided it is great to read books that have chaos off the U.S. WEstern History. She is still the strong character that she was in the first book, but now this book shows that she is also a leader of many - and that all girls can be leaders too. I hope this series sparks a love of nature for children and brings more families outdoors to create their own brave adventures.”
Below, please find 5 ways to have fall fun from Rislov. F
1. Read about wildlife, bugs and birds and then go outside to see what you find. There will be adventure and exploring both in the book and outdoors. Use the 5 senses to learn. Who is making that sound? Do you see anything? Touch a feather or nest. Have a 'who' eats apples discussion and have an apple to talk about its taste. Smell the great outdoors in which the animals live, eat and sleep in.
2. Read and listen to a song type story book. For example, "Going on a Bear Hunt" and adding binoculars for excitement. This way the child is using their body to help understand what is going on in the book- listening, movement, singing, looking, and acting out. Take it outside with the binoculars to see what you see, go around what you need to and hide when it is time.
3. Plant and gardening stories and then head outdoors to look at a garden, flowers, and trees. Take it a step further, by having children plant something from a seed and watch it grow with water, sun and their care.
4. Have pet story time- children love animals. Read books about pets and then talk about the pets they have in their lives (in their house or another friend or family member). Listen to the sounds of pets discussed on an audio app and/or outside on a walk. Discuss many attributes about them. What do pets like? What does dog or cat fur feel like? Hitting many senses increases their knowledge of pets.
5. Use treasure hunt stories for adventure and excitement. Children can then go on their own made up treasure hunt for pretend play. Encourage them to pack a backpack full of things they might need on this adventure. Make sure to head outdoors with them and see how outdoor time unfolds. Later, adults can set up a treasure hunt outside, ahead of time, with a map to start the event.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CASEY RISLOV is a 7x award-winning children’s book author. She holds a master’s degree in elementary education from Montana State University and is endorsed in early childhood and special needs. Rislov has taught for many years. The last eleven years have been devoted to writing, reading, and sharing the love of these arts with children of all ages during her popular story times, school visits, and workshops. She lives in Wyoming with her three greatest loves, her husband and their two children.
No comments:
Post a Comment