Hello all of my journey takers and lifelong explorers! I recently read How To Raise A Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling In Love with Nature and I want to talk about it!
This piece of literary magnificence is written by Scott Donald Sampson, and let me tell you: this man doesn’t just get a clap-and-a-half, he is the clap-and-a-half! Not only is he a prolific writer, he is a paleontologist by trade, and is currently President and CEO of Science World in British Columbia, Canada. He was previously Vice President of Research & Collections and Chief Curator at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science and is the presenter of the children’s television hit Dinosaur Train!
Sweet Red Hot Resumes, Batman!
So what is so significant about How To Raise A Wild Child? What makes it stand out so much as opposed to his other numerous achievements? After all, this is a post about his book, not the author himself.
How To Raise A Wild Child was a project that was many years in the making, an expose on our generation’s (and the generation we are now raising) ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’, a term coined by another author, Richard Louv, who also writes widely on our children’s need for nature in his book The Last Child In The Woods. A book that, like this one, I cannot recommend enough!
“Nature is a contact sport.”
I loved this book. I loved it while in the car. I loved it while eating lunch, walking under the great oak in my backyard. I even loved it once or twice in the forest, in front of my kid!
Okay, innuendo aside, this book is marvelous. It is beautifully descriptive, stunning in it’s imagery. The way Dr. Sampson speaks of his long adventures beneath the sun and the rain are inspiring, to say the least. His notes on the developmental delays and overall damage that a lack of outdoor exposure cause are just as worrisome.
His words will make you want to jump ship on the housework or work load that you’ve been drudging along beneath, kick off your shoes and go running barefoot through the woods, letting the grass tickle your toes.
As breathtaking as the imagery can be, How To Raise A Wild Child can be a difficult one to get through in one sitting so I recommend buying the book at the link below. Maybe listen to it on audiobook so you can get it in while folding laundry, on your commute, or during a good workout. That is my typical modus operandi nowadays but whatever way you chose, get your pen and paper pads ready and keep them close! You are going to want to take notes on this one!
It’s a brilliant read that was written for parents and teachers, often referring to “your kids” and “your classroom” in equal amounts. Dr. Sampson will have your head spinning with ways that you can incorporate more of the outdoors into your everyday, whether that be with twenty kids or with two.
So go, pick up this book! Loosen up and prepare to get dirty! Prepare to once again delight in finding crystals in a stone, a pond full of tadpoles and building a stick fort, all over again! Your childhood will come sweeping back to you and your children’s childhood will thank you for it.
With Peace and Passion.
Ta!
Buy How To Raise A Wild Child on Amazon
Last Child In The Woods by Richard Louv
Also available on Kindle, Apple, and Audible. Don’t forget to check at your local library!
Additional Resources on How To Raise A Wild Child!
*How To Raise A Wild Child TEDxLangleyEd: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn4ve9fLsuA
*Huffington Post: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-raise-a-wild-child_b_7153650
*Your Parenting Mojo podcast: https://yourparentingmojo.com/captivate-podcast/wildchild/
*Scientific American: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mind-reviews-how-to-raise-a-wild-child/
Little Journeys Everywhere 