A Kid's Winter EcoJournal: With Nature Activities for Exploring the Season

Children's Literature - Kristin Harris

If you are looking for a book for a kid who is thoughtful and prone to careful observation, this is a good choice. Part of a series to address each season, these books are designed to help kids develop skills as observers of nature, and help them keep a journal of their observations. Winter is a great time to spend outdoors exploring the wonderful changes brought on by cold weather. There are numerous entries by date in which the author discusses her farm, Trickle Creek and how winter affects her farm. Each entry includes a special activity or discussion about an interesting thing/event to look for on winter explorations. There is also half a page that is lined and left for kids to make your own observations. Instructions are included for such things as making a nature wreath or Yule log, a bird feeder or edible pinecone. My favorites are woodpecker pizza and bird biscuits. There is an underlying concern for the care of the environment, with experiments to test the pollution of water and snow. This is a thoughtful, pensive book that has the quieting effect necessary to observe nature. The author does a good job of conveying a genuine love of the subject matter.