Following Nature's Playground and Going Wild, the authors once again lure kids away from computers and the TV into the natural world, this time to have a go at making their own entertainment from whatever is available outdoors. This book is about looking at natural materials in a new light and discovering how they can be used creatively. It shows children from eight upwards, including teenagers - and their parents - how to make anything from a cricket bat to an ice lantern, and enjoy expeditions, games and parties outdoors - all with the emphasis firmly on fun. From making things that fly to playing hay bale games, fashioning monsters from wet clay to trying stone jenga, creating living willow sculptures to making natural jewellery, the book helps youngsters to open their eyes and use their imaginations, and to discover the wonder and value of natural materials.
Ephemeral art Beach art Woodland art Ice and snow Outdoor toys Wooden go-carts Cricket and rounders bats Boats and rafts 56 Planes and gliders Kites Flaming balloons Make it from clay Working with wild clay Decorative tiles Pinch pots Sculptures Firing clay Smoke decorating Make it from wood Rustic furniture Driftwood sculptures Twig sculpture Wild baskets Withy lanterns Nature's pigments Natural paints Natural dyes Natural crafts Jewellery Paper making Leaf plates and bowls Pewter casting Felting Making a leather purse Natural mobiles and windchimes Further information Index
Fiona Danks did a degree in Ecology at Edinburgh University followed by a PGCE in Rural and Environmental Science at Bath College of Higher Education. She worked in environmental education for a number of years, first for the Shropshire Wildlife Trust and then for the Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, organizing training for teachers and taking groups of children out to nature reserves and other wild sites. She then went on to write books about the Chiltern Hills and the Cotswold Hills while working part-time running activities in a pre-school nursery. She currently runs the Trust for Oxfordshire's Environment, a non-profit making company providing grants for a wide range of community and environmental projects across Oxfordshire. Through their website www.goingwild.net Jo and Fiona provide more ideas for outdoor activities and an opportunity for debate on the importance of real world adventures for all young people. For more information on how to encourage children to go outdoors, visit Fiona and Jo's website click here Jo Schofield gained a degree in psychology from Exeter University and began her career working for an educational psychologist in London. After getting involved in the production of a film, she went on to work in the creative department of a TV advertising agency where she began taking still photographs. This led on to her becoming a commercial photographer in Australia and then London. She worked mainly for national editorial magazines such as Country Living. When her children were small she worked in Watlington Primary School and the Dragon school in Oxford, applying her creative knowledge to the classroom with children aged 6-9 years. More recently she has been focusing on writing and photographing for a series of books with co-author Fiona Danks. Through their website www.goingwild.net Jo and Fiona provide more ideas for outdoor activities and an opportunity for debate on the importance of real world adventures for all young people. For more information on how to encourage children to go outdoors, visit Jo and Fiona's website click here