Explorations in Ecology: Playful, Science-Rich Outdoor Activities for Children and Their Adults

In a fragmented, industrialized world, Explorations in Ecology reconnects our children with the outdoors—where curiosity, confidence, and creativity grow.

How can parents and educators be better stewards of our children’s growth and development in an unstable world? With decades of experience as a science educator in K–12, alternative schools, and homeschooling groups, Peter Kindfield shares a vision for childhood education that restores a sense of wonder and belonging in young people and shows adults how to dive into outdoor education with confidence. A tremendous resource for today’s ecologically minded caregivers and educators, Explorations in Ecology is chock-full of engaging, playful, science-rich activities to help kids—and their adults—better understand the world and their essential role in it.

To these ends, the book will include:

• Activities that include permaculture gardening
• Gathering edible and medicinal plants
• Bushcraft skills like building fires and shelter
• And much more!

Also included, the reader will find educational suggestions for adults about how to support children engaging in the activities in each chapter and more generally about how to nurture educational environments and communities that support children learning and having transformative experiences while playing in forests, fields, and gardens.

In addition, science background about how ecosystems work as highly interdependent, regenerative systems is selected to give adults a clearer understanding of the ecological skills and concepts explored in each chapter’s activities. Science topics covered include:

• Systems theory
• The water and carbon cycles
• Photosynthesis
• The molecular kinetic theory of heat
• Soil composition
• Basic taxonomy
• Rocks and minerals
• Basics of ecological design and building.

This science material is also suitable for older children.