10 Nature-Based Children’s Books inspired by The Gardens That Attract Wildlife
What if you could find inspiration for the design and curricula of your outdoor classroom from nature-based children’s books? What if you could be intentional about choosing books that connect both with your outdoor classroom design and activities?
DESIGN: At outdoor-classrooms.com, we use The Four Types of Gardens as a foundational map for creating design options and possibilities for any outdoor space. Each garden type has specific elements and features which define that type of garden. They include
The Four Types of Gardens
Gardens that Attract Wildlife
…incorporate food, shelter, water, sustainable practice and places to raise young. They are havens for butterflies, bugs, and birds and can be certified by the National Wildlife Federation.
Gardens for Art and Beauty
…bring all ages together in creative conversation. These gardens include sculptures, plantings and flowers. They contribute to the community and teach us how to integrate music, dance, poetry, storytelling, and painting into the outdoor garden experience.
Gardens as Outdoor Learning Stations
…are inspired by themes such as a Mud Kitchen, Rock Garden, Miniature Garden, Sensory Garden, Alphabet Garden, Water Wall and so many more. These gardens connect curriculum through play in the Outdoor Classroom.
Gardens that Feed
…are gardens that can be described as Edible Gardens or Vegetable Gardens. Their focus is to teach children about nutrition and where our food comes from. These gardens offer captivating experiences for children to use their senses by looking at and eating food they have grown themselves.
CURRICULA: At outdoor-classrooms.com, we cultivate curricula outdoors by drawing from a library of nature-based books specific to one of The Four Types of Gardens. This way it is literacy that leads and inspires our outdoor teaching practice.
Today we are featuring The Gardens that Attract Wildlife. These gardens incorporate food, shelter, water, sustainable practices, and places to raise their young. They are havens for butterflies, bugs, and birds and can be certified by the National Wildlife Federation.
1. Choose a nature-based children’s book.
3. Plan and implement an activity that connects to your chosen children’s book.
4. Take notes and reflect on what worked and what did not.
5. Share in the comments your favorite children’s books that cultivate Gardens that Attract Wildlife.
10 Nature-Based Children’s Book inspired by Gardens that Attract Wildlife
WHAT IS WILDLIFE?
Want to dig deeper? Check out our 1-hour Nature-Based Workshop Library.
