Book Review: “Play Wild: Nature Craft Projects for Tamariki” by Rachel Clare. Published by Bateman Books. Price $29.99. Reviewed by Tony Orman.
Getting kids outdoors to begin a relationship with Nature is challenging today with so many negative distractions by way on the internet, television and screens in general. Author of “Play Wild: Nature Crafts for Tamariki”, Rachel Clare admits as a parent, this was a strong motivation for her to write a book that will get kids outdoors.
“As a parent, I’m fully aware of the constant battle to get kids off devices and outside. Even just short bursts are beneficial to our well-being. If we develop this habit when we are young, it will set us up in good stead for when we grow up.”
The author and her partner Jacob Leaf who took most of the excellent photos in “Play Wild”, Vasanti Unka with her excellent illustrations and publishers Bateman Books, have combined to produce a book that will be invaluable to getting youngsters “off the couch” and exploring outside.
In “Play Wild” Rachel Clare has devised a range of projects that with parental help, can get very young kids absorbed outside on Nature-based projects. Even parents will probably find the ideas stimulating!
Some projects are for girls, others suit boys and girls while others will appeal mainly to boys. “Come outside, there are flowers to pick, seeds to collect, moss to pat, rain to smell and earth to dig. Love Nature. XXX. You are part of the natural world too.”
Among the universal projects are growing kowhia trees from seed, growing succulents in pumice pots, building a pollinator pond for bees to drink from, making decorative moreporks (ruru) from pine cones, making “Christmas Critters” from scallop shells, pine cones, gum nuts, acorns and such.
It’s a book designed to nurture youngsters curiosity – probably from four to five year olds up to twelve year olds – and to stimulate and imprint a interest in Nature and to encourage their imagination in the good values that come from the natural world.
Any good angler knows that catching a fish is just part of going fishing. In the cliche “it’s just being out there.” Nature has a strong role to play in the well-being of child, teenager or adult. We don’t want tomorrow’s citizens to lose that connection with the outdoors and nature.
Get a copy for your own young children or grandchildren.
Highly recommended.
“Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” said Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862).
It’s about being there absorbed by the natural world. For the sake of tomorrow’s society, especially in view of today’s twisted values, get youngsters outside as early as possible.
I couldn’t agree more with “Play Wild” and the author.
Health benefits of fishing – good for body and mind.
Youngsters may not take up fishing but they will understand and appreciate Nature later in teenage years and adulthood. But if they do take up fishing, so very good. It reminds me of Roderick Haig-Brown’s writings – for example “I have fished through fishless days that I remember happily without regret.”
Another “There will be days when the fishing is better than one’s most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home.”
The natural world has a very big positive role to play in bring up kids from an early age.
Not only a great book but it is a one that young Kiwis will identify with. It is a welcome change from the old colonial approach of importing Northern Hemisphere books and expecting the kids to read: June activities for January, go fishing for tench and rudd with corn kernels, make things out of yew and hawthorn, and so on. Today’s New Zealand children do not want to be imitation English kids etc.; reading “Boys/Girls Own” “Black Beauty” ‘Life and Times of General Gordon” and so on. Unlike most of my generation they know all the basic Kiwi things (like the Maori words to the national anthem) and seek out Kiwi things to identify with. Add to that escape from their devices and you have a winner. I heard this book reviewed on RNZ. Tony’s review equals that.