"Let children walk with Nature, let them see the beautiful blendings and communions of death and life, their joyous inseparable unity, as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star, and they will learn that death is stingless indeed, and as beautiful as life."

John Muir

 

 First Aid Kit:

https://amzn.to/33q2opo

 

Clipboards:

https://amzn.to/32tGPDb

 

Fundanas:

https://www.fundanabandanas.com

 

Wagon:

https://amzn.to/2PTnloE

 

Lugable Loo:

https://amzn.to/33qljjV

 

Stainless Steel Buckets:

https://amzn.to/2CmF3c6

 

Go Find It:

https://amzn.to/33oQGLN

 

Go Find It Too:

https://amzn.to/36JzfHB

 

Play the Forest School Way:

https://amzn.to/36HPFAg

(aff links)

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

Scrapstore Playpod

https://youtu.be/nqi1KyJJeKg

 

More natural options from Evergreen Canada:

https://youtu.be/MDl5T51zhh0

 

Temporary and Mobile Nature Play options:

http://loosepartsnatureplay.libsyn.com/nature-play-fun-creating-temporary-and-mobile-nature-play-spaces

 

Outdoor Classrooms:

http://loosepartsnatureplay.libsyn.com/outdoor-classrooms

http://loosepartsnatureplay.libsyn.com/loose-parts-in-outdoor-classrooms-0

http://loosepartsnatureplay.libsyn.com/adding-plants-to-an-outdoor-classroom-0

 

Outdoor Classroom Day https://outdoorclassroomday.com/resources/lesson-ideas/

 7 November 2019, 21 May 2020

 

PLT Green Schools Initiative== https://www.plt.org/educator-tips/creating-an-outdoor-classroom-things-to-consider/

http://www.schoolyards.org/pdf/OutdoorClassroomUsersGuide.pdf

 

Children fund raised: https://www.milkeneducatorawards.org/connections/articles/view/crystal-dozier-outdoor-classroom

 

We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it.   –George Eliot

Books (aff links):

 

Playing it Up with Loose Parts

https://amzn.to/2Bs7VPE

 

Nature Play at Home

https://amzn.to/35N54ix

 

Asphalt to Ecosystems Design ideas for schoolyard transformation

https://amzn.to/2B7RDeL

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

The First Days of School (Wong and Wong):

https://amzn.to/35pa0cW

 

Fabrics in an Outdoor Classroom Podcast Episode (Gull—that’s me!):

http://loosepartsnatureplay.libsyn.com/fabric-as-a-loose-part-den-making

 

Nature Preschools and Forest Kindergartens: The Handbook for Outdoor Learning (David Sobel):

https://amzn.to/2nFig7O

 

Preschool Beyond Walls: Blending Early Childhood and Nature-Based Learning (Larimore):

https://amzn.to/33hj2a0

 

A Forest Days Handbook: Program Design for School Days Outside (Minnucci):

https://amzn.to/31byAek

 

“Children are born naturalists. They explore the world with all of their senses, experiment in the environment, and communicate their discoveries to those around them.” ~ The Audubon Nature Preschool

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

Loose Parts Inspired Books

http://insideoutsidemichiana.blogspot.com/2016/04/loose-parts-books.html

 

Marc Armitage’s Dump Challenge

https://m.facebook.com/marc.armitage.at.play/posts/tackle-the-great-adult-dilemma-embrace-the-dump-a-challengeplay-playing-playwork/2169568523152250/

 

30 plus Approaches to Loose Parts

http://insideoutsidemichiana.blogspot.com/2017/05/30-plus-ways-to-approach-loose-parts.html

 

Book Pick: This is Sadie

https://amzn.to/32E8ulj

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

Definitions of Loose Parts in Early Childhood Outdoor Classrooms: A Scoping Review

https://naturalstart.org/sites/default/files/journal/6._gull_et_al._formatted_draft_v2.pdf

A Whole Other Magic by Gigi Joob

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1999090101?ref=myi_title_dp

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

Embracing Diversity in Children’s Nature Books

https://naturalstart.org/sites/default/files/journal/9._book_reviews_formatted_0.pdf

 

Natural Start Alliance:

https://naturalstart.org/

 

Book Picks (Aff links):

Amy’s Light

https://amzn.to/2Xn5Oth

 

Because Your Mommy Loves You

https://amzn.to/2IwsIGj

 

Bringing the Outside In

https://amzn.to/2Xn5P0j

 

Daniel Finds a Poem

https://amzn.to/2XtPSW2

 

Fort Building Time

 

https://amzn.to/2XtXPKQ

 

Hiking Day

https://amzn.to/2N2QM80

 

I Am the Rain

https://amzn.to/2IAsqyl

 

If You Love Honey: Nature’s Connections

https://amzn.to/2N1kie9

 

John Denver’s For Baby

https://amzn.to/2X4z5cZ

 

John Denver’s Sunshine on My Shoulders

https://amzn.to/2XqIQl2

 

Sometimes Rain

https://amzn.to/2WUVo4y

 

Stick!

https://amzn.to/2Fqbloq

 

The Snowy Day

https://amzn.to/2WYIBhp

 

Under One Rock

https://amzn.to/2WZTuzJ

 

Water is Water

https://amzn.to/2XtXEPG

 

What’s in the Garden?

https://amzn.to/2FmNu9u

 

When the Snow Falls

https://amzn.to/2WYNebp

 

Where’s Rodney?

https://amzn.to/2N4FiB1

 

Wild Ones: Observing City Critters

https://amzn.to/2XtPE18

 

 

Other Resources:

 

Black Faces, White Spaces

 

Building Cultural Empathy and Celebrating Diversity in Nature-based Early Childhood Education—

https://naturalstart.org/feature-stories/building-cultural-empathy-and-celebrating-diversity-nature-basedearly-childhood

 

Diverse Book Finder—

https://diversebookfinder.org/

 

 

Forest Kindergartens: A Multicultural Perspective—

https://naturalstart.org/feature-stories/forest-kindergartens-multicultural-perspective

 

Hashtag— #WeNeedDiverseBooks

 

Outdoor Afro: Where Black People and Nature Meet—

http://outdoorafro.com/

 

The Nature Book Nook Book—

https://www.facebook.com/naturebooknook/

 

Nature-inspired Children’s Book and Storytelling Facebook group—

https://www.facebook.com/groups/naturechildrensbooks/

 

The Ultimate List of Diverse & Inclusive Books to Support Nature-based Learning

https://www.wonderkin.com/blog-home/diverse-and-inclusive-books-to-support-nature-based-learning

 

Urban Environmental Education

https://naaee.org/eepro/resources/urbanenvironmental-education

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

Playing in the Rain:

 https://insideoutsidemichiana.blogspot.com/2014/08/playing-in-rain.html

 

Tinkergarten Umbrella/Rain activities:

https://tinkergarten.com/activities/clouds-rain-and-meatballs

 

https://tinkergarten.com/activities/secret-hideaway

Gearing Up for the Rain:

https://tinkergarten.com/pages/wet-winter

  

Quotes:

 

"Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain." - Author Unknown

 

"A rainy day is the perfect time for a walk in the woods" - Rachel Carson

 

"Life's not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about Learning To Dance In The Rain." - Vivian Greene

 

Book Picks (aff links):

The Big Umbrella

https://amzn.to/2WRRUio

 

I Am the Rain

https://amzn.to/2Wk3f6w

 

Sometimes Rain

https://amzn.to/2Kz3clg

 

Water is Water

https://amzn.to/2EUSDFu

 

Rain by Manya Stojic

https://amzn.to/2ET0fbh

 

Puddle Jumpers by Anne Margaret Lewis

https://amzn.to/2I4o4iJ

 

Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre

https://amzn.to/2EW9VlF

 

Mushroom in the Rain

https://amzn.to/2EWgQLn

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

NAI—National Association of Interpretation:

https://www.interpnet.com/

 

Region 4: http://nairegion4.weebly.com/

 

CIG Training:

https://www.interpnet.com/NAI/interp/Certification/Overview/nai/_certification/NAI_Certification.aspx?hkey=fa8b1be4-ee12-436d-ac61-7cdd7efd3926

 

2019 Region 4 Conference:

http://nairegion4.weebly.com/uploads/8/9/3/5/8935383/nai_region_4_2019_workshop_booklet_final.pdf

 

Interpretation Information and Quotes:

https://www.nps.gov/idp/interp/101/FoundationsCurriculum.pdf

 

Book Pick (aff link):

https://amzn.to/2W7G1EK

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

Simple Machines Outdoors!

 

Pictures;

https://www.facebook.com/loosepartsnatureplay/posts/354046738501089?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBqVeFmKtVAY8Vmu6rOaxkzOCegTf9ZPcyA_7Q9KgXMByf6V6fYn_pByDkguaJgYtfGc2Oa4rZ19iN36OXZbrQbSSx9CLE1ky0G6FqIEDav0EwHuZtHetA8vw-5z2UJEHuAxIdbNOrSqFIz0WGWsYyuMXY_GQVln0zf5FxQwmoICm7Fg0MLvIOCmYSKItcUpevHbHVQnWhCHjATgxt13Omna12hg9YApluv6sDG3zqebx-692e6cw_al4eGqZ1Y6QH2SmyV9dU247Q3GZdNlJ5yZ7cPkXW6DhorGFTgz80UGYS66_womputbmxJfq0sJOdDRQJHxT2wqbVFHi9XY_Y&__tn__=-R

 

 Pulley Play:

https://tinkergarten.com/activities/pulley-play

 

Balancing gnomes:

https://tinkergarten.com/activities/balancing-gnomes

 

Great resource:

 

https://www.mass.edu/stem/documents/preschoolcurricular/CEES%20Curriculum%20Simple%20Machines.pdf

 

PBS video—a little outdated, but still good info and examples.

https://www.pbs.org/video/science-trek-simple-machines/

 

Quotes

“Too often we give children answers to remember rather than problems to solve.” — Roger Lewin

 

Books (aff links):

And Everyone Shouted “Pull”!

https://amzn.to/2VACfEn

 

Pulleys:

Fort Building Time

https://amzn.to/2LUmjbR

Andrew Henry's Meadow

https://amzn.to/2VAkOE6

 

Pigs from A to Z

https://amzn.to/2E5DEbm

 

The Day the Babies Crawled Away

https://amzn.to/30jsxVK

 

A Big Ball of String

https://amzn.to/2YnITL6

 

Albert's Alphabet

https://amzn.to/2LCkIqD

 

The Fort on Fourth Street: A Story About Six Simple Machines

 

Learning Resources Simple Machine Set

https://amzn.to/2VD0xxu

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website

Indiana Master Naturalists

https://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/6321.htm

 

ANROSP

https://anrosp.wildapricot.org/

 

NAI Region 4

http://nairegion4.weebly.com/

 

Book Pick (aff link):

Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv

https://amzn.to/2LmdUxl

 

Loose Parts Play Facebook Page   Loose Parts Play Facebook Group   Inside Outside Michiana Facebook Page   Loose Parts Nature Play Website