Learning about nature through books

For many children, reading and writing poetry about nature is the catalyst for an appreciation of the great outdoors.

‘It’s a very accessible form of writing for children, because it’s a short form: you don’t have to read or write reams of it, and if you find a poem or book of poems that you like, you can carry it around with you,’ Nicola says.

‘It also encourages children to find their own voice as writers.’

There are many inspiring poems and poetry compilations about nature that are aimed at children, such as The Hound Dog’s Haiku and Other Poems for Dog Lovers by Michael Rosen, and Nicola’s own Outside your Window, as well as classic poems by great writers of the past like Wordsworth and DH Lawrence.

Poetic conventions like onomatopoeia, sibilance, simile and metaphor help to bring the natural world to life (for example, the swishy swashy grass in Michael Rosen’s We’re Going on a Bear Hunt), so why not head to a park, woodland or riverbank with your child and read some nature-themed poetry in the open air?

Beetles, butterflies, spiders and snowdrops… The natural world is the perfect place to discover and learn, especially if you arm your child with a field guide, such as the Usborne Spotter’s Guide series.

‘There’s something about turning the pages and identifying what you’ve seen that really appeals to children, especially inquisitive types who like making lists,’ Nicola explains.

Spotting a bird or plant and trying to work out what it is based on its characteristics turns nature’s playground into a real-life treasure hunt, and being able to tick something off their list gives kids a huge sense of satisfaction.

Encourage children to take their books out and about with them, and let them make notes on their pages: ‘Field guides are most valuable if you take them outside with you and let them get worn and dirty,’ says Nicola.

The best way to get your child to fall in love with the natural world is to allow them to get hands on, and there are some brilliant books out there that will give them the gardening bug, such as Gardening Projects for Kids by Jenny Hendy and Gardening with Kids by Martyn Cox and Catherine Woram.

‘I’d highly recommend giving your child a gardening book and a little plot of land of their own, even if it’s just a pot on a balcony,’ Nicola suggests. ‘Growing something they can put in a vase or something they can eat is like a magic spell, and it makes the practical connection between the child and the natural world in a way that nothing else can.’

One of the great things about nature is that it’s packed full of writing inspiration, whether your child is an avid writer or needs encouragement to put pencil to paper.

‘Encourage your child to take a notebook out with them and get into the habit of writing down what they see in very short form: just a sentence about the highlight of their day, what they saw or how it made them feel,’ says Nicola.

‘They can then shape these notes into something more: for instance, if they write a line every day of the summer and read them all aloud at the end, they’ll have something that’s beginning to sound like a poem.

‘Their notes will also trigger memories that they wouldn’t have retained otherwise.’

As parents juggling the time pressures of day-to-day life, we often lose touch with nature ourselves – but if we’re too busy to spend time in the natural world, our children miss out, and so do we.

‘Parents are sometimes worried that they don’t know how to tend to a vegetable garden or identify wildlife, but the great thing about nature is that you and your child can discover it together,’ Nicola says.

‘If there’s something you don’t know, go and find a book and look it up with your child. The process of discovery is what makes the natural world so exciting to spend time in and learn about.’