Resources

By Richard Louv

Richard Louv, author and child advocate, shares a term he's coined as "nature-deficit disorder". It is not a medical condition, but a way to capture just how alienated humans, and specifically children, have become from nature.

By Linda Åkeson McGurk

"This lively, insightful memoir about a mother who sets out to discover if the nature-centric parenting philosophy of her native Scandinavia holds the key to healthier, happier lives for her American children."

"The city-run early childhood program of Reggio Emilia, Italy, has become recognized and acclaimed as one of the best systems of education in the world. Over the past forty years, educators there have evolved a distinctive innovative approach that supports children's well-being and fosters their intellectual development through a systematic focus on symbolic representation. Young children (from birth to age six) are encouraged to explore their environment and express themselves through many languages, or modes of expression, including words, movement, drawing, painting, sculpture, shadow play, collage, and music. "

By Peter Gray, PhD

"In Free to Learn, developmental psychologist Peter Gray argues that our children, if free to pursue their own interests through play, will not only learn all they need to know, but will do so with energy and passion. Children come into this world burning to learn, equipped with the curiosity, playfulness, and sociability to direct their own education. Yet we have squelched such instincts in a school model originally developed to indoctrinate, not to promote intellectual growth."

By Angela Hanscom

"In this important book, a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of TimberNook shows how outdoor play and unstructured freedom of movement are vital for children’s cognitive development and growth, and offers tons of fun, engaging ways to help ensure that kids grow into healthy, balanced, and resilient adults."

1000 Hours Outside is a global movement designed for any age child (or adult) and any environment. Join the journey and watch your life transform before your eyes. Nature holds tremendous power for each and every one of us at any age or stage.

Becky Kennedy, clinical psychologist, author and mom of 3, specializing in parenting, resilience, anxiety and relationships. Her work "focuses on the parent behind the parenting and the child behind the behavior [to help] families heal- bringing out the good inside everyone."