Children and nature: it is a topic that is regularly written about. For example, Norwegian research in 2004 showed that 5- to 7-year-olds who are allowed to play in the woods every school day, make significant progress in their motor development . According to Dutch research from 2007, a natural play environment provides also for more creative play behavior . Children with ADHD appear to be able to concentrate better after a walk through a green area. And according to various studies, it appears that children who spend a lot of time in nature at a young age, later be more inclined to make an effort to protect that nature .
So much for science about children and nature. Because it is at least as nice when children can read about nature and science themselves. The theme of the current Children’s Book Week, which started on October 5 and lasts until October 16, is particularly suitable for this: this year’s theme is ‘gi-ga-green!’
On this page, therefore, four tips for green books, fun for children of all ages…
Gemma Venhuizen
‘When you go into nature, it is as if you hear a language of which you do not understand a single word’, writes Geert-Jan Roebers in his book Species Treasure . ‘If you want to understand that language, you have to start somewhere. Where? With this book.’ He provides fun, interesting descriptions of more than a hundred species of birds, plants, insects, mammals and mushrooms, with cheerful illustrations by Pieter Fannes.
Actually Up to my ears in the plastic compulsory food for everyone. Not only because of the sparkling illustrations by Merel Corduwener, but also because of the abundance of fascinating plastic facts that Daniël Poolen has put on paper. What types of plastic are there, what do we do with it and where does it all go in the end? Just ask, because all the answers are in this book.
Book Screened Inside a barn owlIt really is a children’s book vetted van Bram Langeveld and Arie van ‘t Riet are not, but in fact the beautiful X-rays of animals are interesting for everyone. The cricket, the softshell turtle and the barn owl: you look at them with completely different eyes once you have seen their insides. Frogs, for example, appear to have ‘lime pockets’ next to their spine, and a squid has white granules in its head.
BookWhat is not in your parents’ safari guide From honey badger to baboon spiderA golden oldie, this children’s safari guide by Joukje Akveld, with photos by Ariadne Van Zandbergen. Packed with facts about African savanna animals: which animals are on the list of the shy five and that warthog Pumbaa from the Lion King cartoon is actually a female (because she only has two knobs on her head, and not four like the males).
A version of this article also appeared in the newspaper of October 8, 2022
