My grandson is nearly four years old, and we look after him quite often, we love to take him on nature walks and trails around Cardiff (taff trail/cefn onn/castel coch) all beautiful wooded areas.
We encourage him to look at all kinds of trees and plants and wild-life which he really enjoys, but to be quite honest, we are unsure of half of what we see ourselves and as he is so interested, we do not want him to be told incorrectly. I do not really want to purchase online, so would you be able to help us locate a good shop within 10 miles of Cardiff?
At any time of year, and especially in the beautiful weather of the summer, it is lovely to think of you and your grandson exploring together. Equipping yourself with a book to provide extra information and to encourage him to look more closely is an excellent idea.
Finding a good local bookshop will give you a chance to browse through a number of books which will help you to find the one with the approach and level of content that is right for you. There would also be a well-informed bookseller to help you find other books which might be good for you. The Booksellers Association website homepage will tell you where you can find your closest bookshop.
Some books that might you might find and enjoy include the Usborne Nature Trails series. Titles cover a single topic in some depth such as Insects or Trees. Each title is not only fact-filled but also has activities and games and links to useful internet sites so that you can do further research if you want to find out more. The general approach is based on the idea that the best way to find out about nature is to see it as following a detective trail. This encourages children to look closely for clues and to understand that what happens in the living world is a sequence of linked events which they can follow. There is also practical advice, such as a section on how to raise caterpillars in Insects.
The RSPB First Book of Minibeasts by Anita Ganeri is an excellent first introduction to the small creatures that are all around us. Each minibeast is introduced in a full page illustration supported by a host of the most important facts about it. The attractive pictures make even the creepiest of crawlies look attractive and non-threatening. Other titles in the series include the RSPB First Book of Birds also by Anita Ganeri and the RSPB First Book of Trees by Derek Niemann. Each title has a "spotters' guide" which encourages children to look closely and to record what they have seen.
For a more teacherly approach Jenny Vaughan's Minibeasts in the Little Science Stars series is packed with facts and also includes a glossary to explain some of the less familiar terms.
Still drawing on the engaging principle of encouraging children to "spot" and to record what they see, the much-loved I-Spy titles have been given a fresh look with titles such as I-Spy Nature and I-Spy Wild Flowers and I-Spy Creepy Crawlies http://www.guardianbookshop.co.uk/BerteShopWeb/viewProduct.do?ISBN=9782067151307.
The Let's Look in series with titles including Let's Look in Ponds & Rivers and Let's Look in Woods & Forests has less information but is also good for encouraging careful looking. In addition to encouraging outdoor looking it includes attractive stickers and a habitat spread to stick them onto if it is too wet to be outdoors!
