Go Wild!: 101 Things To Do Outdoors Before You Grow Up

'Utterly joyful… and full of fun', said The Countryman of Nature's Playground. Following that book's success the authors have written a second book that encourages children to enjoy and learn from the natural world through fun - this time for slightly older children. Go Wild describes a range of outdoor adventures for families to share, including foraging for wild food, the magical excitement of making fires, cooking over the hot coals and making your own shelter. For eight-year-olds through to young teenagers there are tempting alternatives to computers and hanging out: brilliant ideas for having fun that will also help them to learn new skills and give them independence and confidence. From making a catapult to catching crayfish, creating fire without matches to constructing a tepee, Go Wild is all about thrilling activities, amazing discoveries and kids having the time of their lives in the great outdoors. The authors, Fiona Danks and Jo Schofield, have produced some outdoor activity sheets in conjuction with the Cub and Scout Naturalist Activity Badge, sponsered by Natural England. To view these acitivity sheets, click here.   For more information on Natural England, click the logo on the left.

About the Author :
Fiona Danks is an environmental educator and author who works with her writing partner Jo Schofield to create beautiful books about the natural world. Fiona and Jo believe that reconnecting everyone with nature is vital if we are to understand our reliance on a healthy and biodiverse natural world, and ensure it is protected for the future. They believe that all children and families should regularly spend time outdoors in green spaces where nature can weave its magic upon them.   Together they have been writing and photographing the Going Wild books for the last fifteen years.  Through their books and website, they inspire families everywhere to get outside and become immersed in the natural world. They have run events, lead training courses for teachers and environmental educators, presented at conferences as keynote speakers, written articles, and they are helping to build the Leaves for Life Campaign (@joinleavesforlife) to raise awareness of the ecological emergency. Their latest book Make This Book Wild was shortlisted for The Week Junior Book Awards for best Illustrated books. They both live at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in South Oxfordshire, where they enjoy natural history, walking and exploring the local countryside. For more information on how to encourage children to go outdoors, visit Jo and Fiona's website - www.goingwild.net   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. Jo lives near Watlington in 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 Jo and Fiona's website click here

Review :
Go Wild! Is aimed at families giving you the confidence and knowledge to teach your children new skills in bush craft and how to appreciate the wilder world. Split into easily digestible chapters on shelter, fire, foraging, tools and lots more, it emphasises safety and takes you step by step through activities and crafts that will keep you and your children spellbound for hours...Robin Hood would have been proud to own this book. Evolve - Natural History Museum magazine An essential addition to the kit bag of any budding outdoor adventurer. Country Life an essential read for any father desperate to get their teenagers off the computer and into the great outdoors. Sunday Express Full of ideas to tempt young people outside, and is packed with colour photographs showing the fun that can be had. As with every topic in this book, there are very clear instructions, which are easy to follow, and photographs illustrating every step of the way. Whether you're a parent or a youngster leafing through this book, it's hard not to be inspired by Go Wild!. Oxford Times A joyous celebration of independence, the great outdoors and taking risks, this is the ideal solution to a credit crunch summer holiday - nature comes conveniently free. Daily Mail This sumptuously designed book is a pleasure to peruse and really makes you want to head outdoors. BBC Wildlife Full of ideas and activities for older children to enjoy the outdoors. Outdoor Living Real kids doing real stuff! This fantastic book is aimed squarely at the age group most often accused by society of spending too much time indoors... Written in a style that implicitly trusts young people's capabilities, and is illustrated with great photos of kids enjoying the outdoors. I've had to wrestle it away from my eight year old just to get a look! Juno With step-by-step guidelines, stunning photos and sensible advice, the book describes a range of outdoor adventures for families to share, offering tempting alternatives to screen-based entertainment. Sue Palmer ... says 'Go Wild! is just what families need to escape from virtual worlds and rediscover the wonders of the real one. It provides the perfect recipe for transforming cotton wool into confident, independent, resilient young people. Every family should have a copy!' Families First To help make the idea of going outside more fun for both kids and adults Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks have written a series of books packed full of ideas! The good news is nearly all the activities suggested in the books cosst very little and need hardly any fancy equipment, just the motivation to get out of the door and have a go at something new. The authors hope there is something to everyone whether you live in the town or the country or whether you want to climb a mountain or just make a den at the bottom of the garden or in the local park. Primary Times Not just for kids, this book is packed with ideas. Trail A brilliant and amazing bushcraft book with stunning pictures we all dream of in our prep schools. Forget lounging on the sofa in front of the TV in the comfy living room of the boarding house. Get out there! I truly believe that this book should be shown during one of your governors' meetings if you intend to promote outdoor education in your school. Prep School