Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Nature Explorer

9780756662929HNature Explorer – Explore nature with more than 100 fun activities
Published at DK Canada

About the book

Compiling the best titles from DK's very successful Nature Activities series, Nature Explorer allows readers to learn about rocks and minerals, birds, insects, weather, and more, with spectacular photography and illustrations serving as an informative backdrop. In addition, readers are encouraged to observe, take notes, and do their own experiments in the park, their backyards, even their own kitchen! Easy-to-do activities help teach kids about the world around them.

My Thoughts

Here’s another wonderful book that will be very useful to learn more about nature.   I personally think that having numerous book on one subject is helpful especially when you have many kids in a house.   But this book is special in itself as it also includes more than 100 activities.   Learning by manipulation has always been one of my favorite ways of educating my kids.   I find they learn better when they can touch and do something – not just listening…

The book is divided in various subjects: birdwatcher, bug hunter, star gazer, rock & fossil hunter, nature ranger, and weather watcher. Each of these subjects contains numerous information on it as well as fun activities to do with your kids.  Let’s take the Bird Watcher section as an example since I love birds.

The section starts with an introduction on the world of birds as well as define what is ornithology.    My kids have started to learn the name of birds from a very young age.   We started with the American Robin and slowly I added some other ones to their knowledge.  My brother-in-law was amused that the kids would learn that kind of things but I find it a useful skill to be able to identify the bird you encounter when we go camping or walk.  Once you know more about ornithology, you need to know what kind of equipment is necessary for it.   The book also show you how you can hide yourself to be able to have a better view of the birds by using camouflage.  

One of the activities included in this section is how to make a bird table so that the birds can come and eat some seeds or other products on it.    The book also inform the reader about how to identify the feeding signs, how feathers work, how birds take baths, how a nest is made, as well as how a bird’s life starts.  Finally the section concludes with some information on specific types of birds like the ducks, the birds on the shore, the night birds, the birds you can find in town as well as migration and life spans information.   

All the sections of the book is build the same way.   I am particularly interested in the experiment on how to transform the sand into Martian soil, making a sundial or making craters like the ones seen on the moon! 

Honestly, I think our summer will be filled with fun discoveries and learning.   The kids won’t even realize that they are doing school with this book.    I am so looking forward to do some experiments and learn more about the nature around us.

If you are looking for a fun book to discover nature and do incredibly fun experiments, Nature Explorer is the book for you.   Every family should have a copy of it and dig into it.   You won’t be disappointed with this book.

Nature Explorer is available at your favorite bookstore, even amazon.ca.

Disclaimer: Thanks to DK Canada for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

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