Trails, Tails & Tidepools in Pails

The development of respect in children is essential for the preservation and appreciation of our wilderness and wildlife and for the tranquility and well-being of our urban society."

That's the philosophy behind "Trails,Tails & Tidepools in Pails," making it an excellent resource for those people who enjoy spending time outside with young children, stopping and listening and spying on our natural surroundings.

This book is for parents, teachers of young children, friends, grandpas, grandmas, a 12-year-old babysitter, a pregnant friend and anyone else who spends time with children. It reflects the combined efforts of seven women who are volunteer members of an environmental education group dedicated to this philosophy.

Each of the activities in the book gently reflects this philosophy of respect for nature. There are six sections with a total of 50 separate activities. It includes both a subject index and an age-appropriate index (babies and up, toddlers and up, preschoolers and up, and all ages), The activities are very simply written and explained on two illustrated pages. While none of them overwhelm the instructor with wordy details, they do present a variety of information.

There is large (easy on the eyes) print for the young reader to lead or read, or for the hurried adult to glance over and refresh his or her memory on the way out the door. Each page also offers special information and parental tips in smaller type.

Did you know the difference between a sow bug and a pill bug? (Pill bugs curl into a ball and sow bugs lie flat when startled.) Did you know that hummingbirds gather fuzz from sycamore leaves and mix it with spider webs so their nests can grow as their babies grow? Or that Native American children learned early in life to give thanks to nature?

Any materials you might need are listed activity by activity. Another fine characteristic of this book is that only 23 of the 50 activities require any materials other than those you would find on your walk. Materials needed from home are few and simple, such as:

Other activities use items from the environment, such as:

Nine activities need no extras at all,but involve listening like a deer, walking like a fox, calling and moving like different birds, searching for animal signs, or being still.

Every activity which uses any items from nature ends with returning it to its home or other appropriate place. Realistically, I wouldn't be surprised or concerned to find a child really wanting to take home an acorn. It's more important for the leader to be an example than it is to get too concerned and spoil the moment.However, remembering where everything belongs does turn out to be a fun activity in itself. The acorns are left by a squirrel's hole, leaves are left next to their look-alikes, sow bugs are returned to their homes, sea shells are left on a decorated castle and water bugs are returned after a quick visit.

Returning everything reflects the authors' beliefs that nature is fascinating and deserves our attention and wonder but, in order for it to survive, it deserves our respect.

For people who hesitate to get involved with children in outdoor activities, this book is fun and simple. You don't need to live near the woods, as many activities can be enjoyed in a park or your own back yard. The directions will get the children started but it's up to the leader as to how long or involved the group will get. This is true of almost any children'sactivity.

It's so important for children to be outside that if that's all this book accomplishes it would be worth it. But its varied activities are also sure to please and start lots of discussions.

-Reviewed by Pat Griffin