Outdoor Science
Laura Minter & Tia Williams
Button Books

If you are looking for a resource of nature-related activities and crafts, to encourage children to develop their curiosity about the science of nature and natural phenomena, this could well fit the bill. The majority of materials they will need to do the thirty STEM projects herein are likely to be in your home already, or they can be found in close proximity to it.

Illustrated with photographs of a diverse group of child investigators, and with step-by-step instructions, the practical projects all begin with a needs list and conclude with a ‘science made simple’ explanation.
As a foundation stage/ primary teacher, most of the activities are not new to me but might be to parents of under elevens. I know from experience that youngsters are fascinated by shadow art and in this book Laura and Tia offer two ways of using shadows to create art.

Equally, most young children love watching tiny creatures so making an ant farm would appeal particularly for those who have more interest in fauna than flora. It’s a great way to encourage children to be observologists from an early age.

A wide variety of interesting, enjoyable activities to get youngsters interacting with the environment are presented from ‘Bubble Science’ to ‘Fractal Prints’ and ‘Scrap Vegetables’ (growing new veggies from leftovers) to a ‘Solar Still’.

This is a book for family collections, one to encourage children to set their screens aside and enjoy the outdoors especially now the longer days are here.