0

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

    by Richard Louv


    Paperback

    $15.95
    $15.95

    Customer Reviews

    • ISBN-13: 9781616205782
    • Publisher: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
    • Publication date: 04/01/2016
    • Pages: 306
    • Sales rank: 94,590
    • Product dimensions: 5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)


    Richard Louv, recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal, is the author of seven books, including Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle. The chairman of the Children & Nature Network (www.cnaturenet.org), he is also honorary cochair of the National Forum on Children and Nature. He has written for the San Diego Union-Tribune, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Christian Science Monitor, and other newspapers and magazines. He has appeared on The Early Show, Good Morning America, Today, CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, NPR’s Morning Edition, Fresh Air, Talk of the Nation, and many other programs. For more information, visit www.lastchildinthewoods.com.
     

    Table of Contents

    In Search of a Nature-Rich Life xiii

    A Note to Readers xvii

    Part 1 The Gift of Memory 1

    You're Not Alone: Strengthening the Bonds of Family and Friendship 3

    Start from Day One 4

    Simple Ways to Expand Time and Space for Kids and Adults 7

    Give the Gifts of Nature and Create New Family and Friendship Rituals 10

    Make Room for Independent Play and Solitude 14

    Part 2 Ways of Knowing the World 21

    The Hybrid Mind 23

    Counteract Sensory Dysfunction 24

    Hidden Superpowers 26

    Extra Ways to Develop Extra-vision 29

    Discover the Lost Art of Finding Your Way 31

    Try a Little Mindfulness 35

    High-Tech, High-Nature? 39

    Go Wildsnapping 40

    Be a Soundcatcher 42

    Natural Creativity: Do It, Build it, Paint It, Play It 49

    Small Projects for Small Hands 50

    More Challenging Construction Projects 51

    Discover the Art of Nature 56

    Nature Writing 60

    These Games (from Around the World) Will Not Be Digitized 61

    Part 3 The Nature-Rich Home and Garden 69

    Everyday Eden 71

    Make Good Use of What You Already Have 72

    Build a Backyard Nature Preserve 75

    The Yard, Balcony, or Rooftop Farm 81

    The Restorative Home: Bring the Outside In 87

    Buy, Build, or Rent a Family Getaway Cabin 91

    Part 4 Nurturing Natural Resilience 95

    Don't Cut Down the Tree; Build Up the Kid 97

    Be a Natural Neighbor 103

    A Brief Developmental Guide to Nature Play 105

    Leave No Child (or Anyone Else) Inside 107

    Call in the Reinforcements: Grand Ideas for Grandparents & Grandfriends 110

    The Hummingbird Parent 113

    Part 5 Go Wild and Wilder 117

    The Wild Nearby 119

    Explore Nearby Nature 120

    Bond with Your Bioregion 123

    Become a Citizen Naturalist 125

    Wilder Still 131

    Step It Up 131

    Set Up Camp 133

    Get Wet and Wetter 135

    Ride and Roll 136

    Go to Extremes 138

    Nurture Your Inner Hunter & Gatherer 140

    Be a Wildwatcher 143

    Practice Wildcrafting 148

    Part 6 Grow Outside: The Nature Prescription 153

    Healthy by Nature 155

    Create Your Own Nature Gym 157

    General Outdoor Strategies for Physical and Mental Health 161

    Visit a Nature Therapy Retreat 165

    Go On Your Own Nature Retreat for Mental Health 167

    Be a Weather Warrior 171

    Activities and Safety Tips for Cold, Wet, and Snowy Weather 171

    Activities and Safety Tips for Very Hot Weather 175

    The Indoor Expedition: For When You Can't Go Outside 178

    Be a Weather Detective 181

    Part 7 The School of Nature 187

    Be a Natural Teacher, at Home and at School 189

    Ignite Natural Learning at Home and School 190

    The Nature-Rich School: How Parents and Teachers Can Support One Another as Natural Teachers 195

    Create a Support System for Nature-Based Education 201

    Use Your Parent/Teacher Political Power in the Community 204

    Honor the Natural Teachers in Schools, Home, and Community 206

    Part 8 The Nature-Rich Community 211

    Not Back to Nature, Forward to Nature 213

    What Every Parent, Teacher, and Young Person Needs to Know about the Coming Opportunities in Nature-Smart Careers 215

    The Essential Role of Libraries in Creating Nature-Rich Communities 221

    Make Your City the Best in the Nation (or the World) for Connecting Families to Nature 226

    Peace Like a River 235

    Acknowledgments 241

    Bibliography and Recommended Reading 243

    Notes 253

    How to Get Involved in the New Nature Movement 261

    About Richard Louv 261

    Index 263

    Eligible for FREE SHIPPING details

    Choose Expedited Delivery at checkout for delivery by. Tuesday, October 15

    From the author of the New York Times bestseller that defined nature-deficit disorder and launched the international children-and-nature movement, Vitamin N (for “nature”) is a complete prescription for connecting with the power and joy of the natural world right now, with

    • 500 activities for children and adults
    • Dozens of inspiring and thought-provoking essays
    • Scores of informational websites
    • Down-to-earth advice
    In his landmark work Last Child in the Woods, Richard Louv was the first to bring widespread attention to 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. That book “rivaled Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring” (the Cincinnati Enquirer), was “an absolute must-read for parents” (the Boston Globe), and “an inch-thick caution against raising the fully automated child” (the New York Times). His  follow-up book, The Nature Principle, addressed the needs of adults and outlined a “new nature movement and its potential to improve the lives of all people no matter where they live” (McClatchy Newspapers).Vitamin N is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive, and practical guidebook for the whole family and the wider community, including tips not only for parents eager to share nature with their kids but also for those seeking nature-smart schools, medical professionals, and even careers. It is a dose of pure inspiration, reminding us that looking up at the stars or taking a walk in the woods is as exhilarating as it is essential, at any age.

    Read More

    Recently Viewed 

    Publishers Weekly
    ★ 02/15/2016
    Louv (The Nature Principle) proclaims the many advantages of reconnecting with nature, both for children and adults, in an insightful and practical guide chock full of inspirational advice. For support, he points to studies that have found many potential benefits of spending time outdoors, such as reduced symptoms of ADHD, alleviation of anxiety and depression, decreased obesity, and improved immune system functioning. Many physicians are on board and some are even prescribing nature time for their patients, but Louv sees parents as the most essential factor. For them, he offers up this book as a companion to his previous work, listing more than 500 ways to incorporate nature into everyday life. Suggestions range from the most basic, such as hiking or building sand castles, to more adventurous activities, such as camping or horse riding. Louv includes a superb chapter on building resilience and the importance of taking small, manageable risks; this section is a must-read for all parents. He also includes suggestions for grandparents, advice on how to “create your own nature gym,” and ideas for building nature-rich classrooms and communities. Issuing an imperative that everyone should heed, this important new book provides the tools to reclaim the wonders and health benefits of nature. (Apr.)
    From the Publisher

    “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, drug use, and risk-taking behavior.” —Mary Brown, MD, past board member of the American Academy of Pediatrics

    Vitamin N (‘N’ is for nature) is everything the worried parent needs...The accessibility of Louv’s writing is what truly shines, and his enthusiasm, so evident in earlier works, is on overdrive here. Anyone who works with children will embrace this title; families will be thrilled by its offerings. This is, without question, another shot out of the park for nature-advocate Louv.” Colleen Mondor for Booklist, starred review
     
    “Louv (The Nature Principle) proclaims the many advantages of reconnecting with nature, both for children and adults, in an insightful and practical guide chock full of inspirational advice... Issuing an imperative that everyone should heed, this important new book provides the tools to reclaim the wonders and health benefits of nature.” Publishers Weekly, starred review

    “Balancing the needs of time-stressed families with activities that appeal to different cultural backgrounds, and those that require organization as well as encourage independence, Louv strikes gold again… Louv has become a national leader in advocating for kids to connect with nature. His macrovision of ecological health speaks beyond the benefits of youngsters getting dirty. Essential for all collections.”—Library Journal, Starred Review

    “Both parents and teachers will find this book invaluable. Louv has provided a thoughtful and practical guide to establishing and ensuring a successful relationship between children and the outdoors.” —National Science Teachers Association

    “A truly engaging book, this resource is an excellent how to guide for getting stu­dents and families out in nature.”Green TeacherMagazine
     

    Library Journal
    ★ 05/15/2016
    The esteemed Louv (Last Child in the Woods) delivers a next-step handbook, picking up where The Nature Principle left off by providing over 500 accessible actions parents can take to resolve the nature-deficit disorder the author has so compellingly addressed over the years. Balancing the needs of time-stressed families with activities that appeal to different cultural backgrounds, and those that require organization as well as encourage independence, Louv strikes gold again. The author covers everything from choosing an off-road style stroller to crafting outdoor coupon books for day hikes and fishing trips. VERDICT Louv has become a national leader in advocating for kids to connect with nature. His macrovision of ecological health speaks beyond the benefits of youngsters getting dirty. Essential for all collections.

    Read More

    Sign In Create an Account
    Search Engine Error - Endeca File Not Found