Outdoor Reading and Nature Study

In our part of this beautiful Midwestern state, it snowed on May 1. Over 3" (though none of it stuck). Needless to say, the incipient blooms were slightly shocked, and my outdoorsy heart was saddened at the more limited time outside I could spend with Child showing him things about earthworms, leaves, moss, and robins. To compensate, I want to weave together several threads on this topic, related to recent and less-recent reading I've been doing. These topics are Midwest-specific outdoor year-round reading strategies, home education with outdoor reading with littles, and book recommendations to maximize your positive outdoor experience.

What can a Reader do Outside in the Midwest? (Year-Round)

We joke that there are two seasons in several Midwest states: winter, and construction. The first part of construction season is also jokingly subdivided--in many states--into Fool's Spring, Second Winter, Spring of Deception, Third Winter, and Mud Season. Based on the weather, we're either in Third Winter or Mud Season. So, the first principle to thinking through this section is: count on needing extra layers and/or a wind shelter for a long time if you're bent on reading outside for the majority of the year.

In the spirit of nature study (as opposed to naturalism), there are books on paper, and the (figurative) Book of Nature (a theological concept from the Middle Ages). On the first topic, one of my favorite books is Anna Botsford Comstock's 1939 classic Handbook of Nature Study. This is a great, thick book to read outdoors and in preparation for outdoor time--what are the names of the living things you're finding? What did people in the 1930s know about them? Another book I stumbled across, which I haven't read but think looks interesting, is Tristan Gooley's How to Read Nature. 

On the second topic, I direct you to Psalm 8 to start! God has revealed aspects of His character in the present world that He created, and it is one of the pleasant duties of Christians, His adopted children, to study the works of His hands.

Spring Ideas

Often, in early spring, I need specific motivation to bring a book outdoors and try to read it. Olive Morales' Science Times article addresses a physiologic rationale on why to read outdoors. She notes that the contrast sensitivity, our eyes' ability to detect differences in colors and hues, depends on the amount of light that is present. So, on days when the sun is peeking through the clouds (even if it's cold and windy), there is generally more light outdoors than indoors. This makes our eyes more effective at seeing the text clearly on the printed page. For my fellow near-sighted readers, this is a boon.

What about dealing with the cold and mud and wind? Here are my tips, based on the idea that there's no bad weather, only bad clothing:

• Keep a book with you at all times. Ideally, one with thick paper so the wind is less likely to tear the pages. If it's small enough to fit in a coat or stroller pocket, even better.
• Layer on the gloves. I've found that a base layer of thin cotton gloves with thin, slightly oversized leather gloves on top, allows me to keep relatively warm fingers and still have the dexterity to turn pages with wind chills of down to about 20 degrees F.
• Find a spot out of the wind, no matter where it is. In my part of the Midwest, this can be quite challenging because the wind is a headwind no matter which direction I'm facing (I kid you not). A gazebo can be an "outdoor" compromise for this purpose.
• Obviously, spreading a blanket on the grass won't work. Be content with a chair or a bench (with blanket if needed) until the weather warms up and the earth dries out somewhat.

Summer Ideas

The internet seems to think that this is the only season in which it's truly easy to read outside . . . and I think it's right, with the exception of insects. My tips here are from a Scholastic Parents article and Honestly Modern's blog post.

• Keep an "outdoor bag" always at the ready. This bag should contain books (bonus points if nature-oriented), snacks, a blanket for the grass, bug spray (or daily garlic supplements if you don't want DEET), sunscreen, and hats.
• Allow books you're reading to inspire outdoor activities. This can be directly related (like bug identification guides) or indirectly (like tea parties described in Little Women, or battle scenes described in the Chronicles of Narnia).
• Engage neighbors, whether children or adults--yes, children typically have more time to read outside during the summer, but adults can and should get in on the fun! Vitamin D is good for everyone.
• Parents of children old enough to play with only general supervision can bring a good book to read on the bench nearby.
• Audiobooks are also quite helpful for when you're walking or running.

Autumn Ideas

Once autumn hits in my part of the country, it usually means wind and early snow. Therefore, my spring ideas come into play here (see section above)!

Winter Ideas

Since January 1, I've been focusing on getting as much outdoor time with Child as possible, every day. We've missed 2 days in February due to unsafe conditions (negative wind chills plus precipitation) that no amount of layers save a full-body 1" plastic coating could compensate for. Not much reading happened outside on those days, so I sat by the fireplace and thought about the next day's forecast in between reading aloud and silently.

Are Non-Paper Books Worth it in this Setting?

I can't speak from personal experience on this one, but there are definite advantages to having an e-reader, plus a few disadvantages, outdoors.

• Pro: pages won't blow away in the wind
• Con: strong sunlight may interfere with some screens
• Pro: lightweight and portable, rather than a big box of books (I'm looking at you, Husband)
• Con: temperatures may be too extreme for the battery to function properly
• Pro: newer e-readers have similar functions (dog-ear/bookmark, make a stylus note)
• Con: like a paper book, an e-reader will not function well with precipitation

What can a Mother-Teacher do Outside?

Since Child was born, I've been more cognizant of the need to expose him to oral language and orient him to the world of books. It's a slow road at the moment! However, I'm also reminded of my own experience being homeschooled and spending plenty of time outside. The method my parents used was loosely based on Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy and recommendations, hence my partiality to that method as I prepare for being a second-generation homeschooler.

Charlotte Mason's Recommendations

Mason had a series of 20 principles of education on which she based her writings. Most pertinent to this post (reading and the outdoor world) are 

#1 - "Children are born persons." That means they are curious about the world, inside and outside the house, before they are otherwise influenced.

#4 - Children need to be trained with daily habits rather than coercion. One habit is going outside and mindfully observing the world around us.

#5 - "Education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life." Again, this refers to going outside and watching things.

#6 - Use the natural surroundings. This refers to both internal and external home environments (as opposed to something that has had input of extensive instructional design). Even if one lives in a city, there are living things around to observe.

#11 and #13 - The curriculum should provide varied, appetizing ideas for children to feed on. That is, provide a wide variety of interesting, factual, "living" books.

In her commentary on Charlotte Mason homeschooling, Karen Andreola notes that the Handbook of Nature Study (by Comstock) is an excellent resource for the mother-teacher sitting or walking outside with her children, to have ready answers to children's questions about what they see, whether flora or fauna.

Today: Simply Charlotte Mason on Nature Study

Mason having written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, several educators have taken up the task of translating her philosophy into principles easily applied by today's homeschooling parents, considering the advances in technology. Simply Charlotte Mason is one excellent site with associated YouTube channel that I've come across in the last year or so, with a thorough exposition of what each principle looks like for various populations including special needs. The Classical Charlotte Mason podcast (by Autumn Kern, also a homeschooling mother) dives more into the philosophical ideas that are worked out slightly differently for each family, depending on the thought process of the parents.

What Should I Read to Make the Most out of Outdoors?

Not having read specific books besides the ones I've mentioned above, I would direct you to your own book preferences on each of these topics:

• Dressing for each season. Being warm enough, or cool enough, as the day may dictate, and having protection from dangerous outdoor elements (sunburn, malaria-bearing mosquitoes) can make each outing more pleasant and less unpleasant. You might be surprised at how much you can read (books and nature) with the right layers on!
• Identification of living and non-living things. These include flora, fauna, rocks, and man-made objects. Knowing how to name objects one sees is a thoroughly satisfying pursuit, especially for children.
• Outdoor-friendly foods. Though insects will be attracted to almost anything I make, I do try to think about the ambient temperature and moisture levels--can my snacks and picnic foods be safely and pleasantly edible after hours outdoors?
• Philosophy of creation and historical views on creation. In the past, I blogged extensively about young-earth creationism, which posits a specific mode of creation. As a Christian and a scientist, I strive to think Christianly about every subject while following evidence where it leads. Alvin Plantinga, one of the leading Christian philosophers, has shown that naturalism isn't a rational position to hold, but also that the current Theory of Evolution as a whole does not require a naturalistic worldview (thus removing the logical conflict between a belief in evolutionary processes and a belief that God created the world and its contents.

Happy reading outdoors!