This week completes 30 Days Wild 2021 and a wonderful June filled with random acts of wildness.
And our final weekly selection of children’s picture book recommendations completes this year’s library for stimulating or responding to young children’s fascination with the natural world, and encouraging and enhancing play in and with nature:
- On Monday our Creatures focus is on the snail companions with whom we share our gardens
- Tuesday 29th June is International Mud Day – a very special day for celebrating Earth and Stone
- On Wednesday 30th, we green up and restore our world through Plants and Growing in all sorts of places
- For Thursday 1st July, Trees and Sticks encourage appreciation for just how much nature is constantly giving all of us
- On Friday 2nd, a small mouse beautifully demonstrates how vital it is to pay attention to what we have, soaking up everything the Weather and Season offers
- And our final book leaves us with a growing commitment to Give Back by acting for the future over the coming year.
Here is the full 30-book nature play library, set out as a calendar for 2021 from 30th May to the weekend of 3rd/4th July. I’ve enjoyed sharing many of my especially favourite picture books and hope this wonderful collection serves you well throughout the year ahead – we’ll have another set next year for 30 Days Wild 2022!
A book a day for nature play – week 5 of 30 Days Wild by Jan White
Monday 28th June: Creatures – Snail Trail by Ruth Brown (Andersen Press 2010)
Tuesday 29th June: Earth and Stone – Mud Pies and Other Recipes by Marjorie Winslow and Erik Blegvad (The New York Review Children’s Collection 2010)
Wednesday 30th June: Plants and Growing – The Extraordinary Gardener by Sam Boughton (Tate Publishing 2020)
Thursday 1st July: Trees and Sticks – The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (Particular Books 2010)
Friday 2nd July: Weather and Seasons – Frederick by Leo Lionni (Andersen Press 2011)
Weekend 3rd & 4th July: Gratitude and Giving Back – The Promise by Nichola Davies and Laura Carlin (Walker Books 2013)
Featured image is copyright Carol Duffy and must not be used without written permission from the photographer or Early Childhood Outdoors. Book covers sourced from Amazon.co.uk