Ten books to enjoy outdoors...
Books can be enjoyed simply anywhere and there is something rather magical about taking a good book outside to enjoy in the forest, by the stream or in the local park. Because reading is fun wherever you do it! We've compiled a list of great books that are perfect for enjoying outdoors.
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Into the Forest by Laura Baker and Nadia Taylor
This is a lovely board book made especially for babies. It's shaped pages mean that the journey through the forest is layered, so little hands can easily turn to each new scene themselves.
The book follows squirrel, who is looking for his mama, and is a great way to talk about the animals you've seen, and help young children to learn some of the animals that live in a forest. It's a simply stunning short board book.
Fly! by Xavier Deneux
A superb board book for young children as they learn about a young bird and its life cycle. This is a multi-sensory book where you take one of the birds physically out of the book and move them through the pages to learn about how a bird prepares for laying its chicks. A great way to explain concepts such as birds’, eggs and nests in a beautifully simplistic way.
Wild by Emily Hughes
All about a young child that is raised in the woods and learns to talk, walk and live by acquiring skills from the animals who raise her. She is the true definition of ‘WILD!’. Until one day, some new creatures come along and they look a bit like her, but have strange and intriguing behaviours.
This beautifully illustrated book explores the idea of what being a human is and questions why we live as we do. The magical illustrations lead you through the child’s wild world and the detail of the pictures make for excellent conversation starters. Perfect if your child has a touch of wild in them.
Hike by Pete Oswald
This gorgeous book doesn’t contain words, but is jam packed with the most magical illustrations of some of the wonderful things you can discover when you go out for a walk.
The pages guide you through a day trip between a boy with and his dad. It includes the problems they solve, the challenges they overcome and how they simply enjoy each other’s company outdoors. The pictures are a fab way of encouraging your little one to talk about what they see. Great if you also like family adventures outdoors.
My Friend Earth by Patricia MacLachlan and Francesca Sanna
A great way to encourage little ones to understand about earth and nature as it is cleverly personified as a little girl. The beautiful illustrations and dye cut pages make for an interactive delight, as you read the poetic, rhythmic words.
I am the Seed That Grew the Tree: A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year By Fiona Waters and Frank Preston-Gannon
This is a book jam packed with poetry. I am not usually one to pick a book full of poems over a picture book. But this book is beautiful and would make a lovely gift for a child who simply loves being outdoors. It journeys the 365 days of the year in verse. Some are long, some are short. But all are magically suitable to the day you read them on. The illustrations are stunning, and the words resonate with both young and old. So, whether or not poetry is your thing I would recommend this hefty book.
In the Garden By Emma Giuliani
This book is beautifully captivating as well as being full of flaps for your child to discover. If you or your family love gardening, this would be a wonderful way of extending your child's understanding of what is happening when you plant seeds.
It’s a real book to treasure, that could be passed down for generations, and a super way to learn about what is happening through the seasons.
Trees By Carmen Saldana
What we like about this book is that it is made with minimal plastic! Although it is a board book, it's probably more suited to older children than babies. Being a board book makes it more robust when you throw it into your rucksack to take it outside.
It's an ideal read for anyone who loves learning facts, this lift and flap book explains in detail the importance of trees and what we can do to look after them. If you love this book, it’s a mini-series! So, if you pick up the other titles you can also learn more about the ocean and about bees!
Tiny Perfect Things By M.H. Clark and Madeline Kloepper
This book makes the ordinary of an everyday walk in your area feel majestic and like a voyage of discovery. The stunning illustrations take you on the tale of a grandfather and granddaughter as they revel in the simple beauty of the world all around them.
It's a great way to introduce new language about flora and fauna and its intricate illustrations are a perfect way for your child to discover something new every time you read it.
Over and Under the Pond By Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal
This book perfectly illustrates some of the intricate ecosystems happening in ponds and explains them in a way that is both magical and beautiful. It allows children to understand the details of what is happening below the surface and helps to develop an awareness of things that happen even when out of sight.
A book that helps us to understand how the world interlinks and how we can support the sustainability of our planet in a way that is thoughtful to its audience. If you love this book, it’s also part of a mini-series.
