Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life

Description

From the bestselling authority on connecting children with nature, a one-of-a-kind guide chock-full of practical ideas, advice, and inspiration for creating a nature-rich life - for kids and grown-ups. In his groundbreaking international bestseller Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv spotlighted the alienation of children from the natural world, coining the term 'nature-deficit disorder' and outlining the benefits of a strong nature connection - from boosting mental acuity and creativity to reducing obesity and depression, from promoting health and wellness to simply having fun. Vitamin N is the comprehensive practical handbook, a companion to both Last Child in the Woods, that readers have been craving, a complete prescription for enjoying the natural world right now, with five hundred activities, scores of informational websites, an abundance of down-to-earth advice, and dozens of thought-provoking essays. Unlike other guidebooks, Vitamin N (for 'nature') addresses the whole family and the wider community, including tips for parents eager to share nature with their kids; suggestions for calming infants through nature and measuring weather with elementary school children, as well as helping tweens become citizen scientists; plus information on how the whole family can join nature clubs or play outdoor games from all over the world. Vitamin N is a dose of pure inspiration, reminding us that looking up at the stars or taking a walk in the woods is as joyful as it is essential, at any age.

Richard Louv, recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal, is the author of seven books, including Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle. He is the chairman of the Children & Nature Network (www.cnaturenet.org), and honorary co-chair of the National Forum on Children and Nature. He has written for the New York Times, the San Diego Union-Tribune, and the Washington Post, and other newspapers and magazines. www.lastchildinthewoods.com.

Richard Louv's Vitamin N should find its place in the list of essential vitamins! If we stress a connection to the natural environment... we can lessen the lifelong effects of a stressful childhood, including depression, obesity behavior problems. * Mary Brown, MD, past board member of the American Academy of Pediatrics * [The Last Child in the Woods] is an absolute must-read for parents. * Boston Globe * Louv proclaims the many advantages of reconnecting with nature, both for children and adults, in an insightful and practical guide chock full of inspirational advice... This important new book provides the tools to reclaim the wonders and health benefits of nature. * Publishers Weekly * Vitamin N [is] a cheerfully pragmatic, can-do manual on parenting... We must create a nature-filled world, starting now-in our families, neighborhoods, and communities. * Outside Magazine * One of the 3 best reasons to go outdoors * Daily Mail *