Book Review: The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book

The idea behind The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book: 448 Great Things to Do in Nature Before You Grow Up came from the best possible source: A kid. A 9 year old who had created a list of things he wanted to do before he became an adult. But it wasn’t just any list; it was a checklist for nature.

Inspired by this list, authors Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer started making one of their own. The result? Some 448 ideas they eventually turned into The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book.

If you’ve spent any time around here, you know this book is right up my alley. Simple ideas for getting kids outside and connected with nature? Yes, please!

What’s inside The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book?
The 224-page book is organized by season and filled with tons of ideas for getting kids outside and into nature. In fact, there is more than one activity for every single day of the year. Each season features:

• 50 checklist items: Each item has an adventure rating from 1 being easiest to 5 being hardest.

• 50 challenge items: These are ideas to help you dig a little deeper into nature.

• 3 projects: Complete with estimated times and suggested ages.

• 3 destinations: Places to explore nature beyond your backyard (think zoos, beaches and nature centers).

• 3 garden recipes: Featuring techniques to make the most of your backyard harvest.

• 3 outdoor games: Highlights classic childhood games like Duck, Duck, Goose and Marco Polo.

Ideas are simple and instructions are easy to understand. Although many of these are things we’ve tried before, the “challenge” ideas offer a way for us to do something in a different way.

Sprinkled throughout are tips and tricks and plenty of additional resources, plus whimsical color illustrations.

My only gripes with The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book may be more a matter of location than anything else. Several of the activities aren’t things we have access to in our backyard. For instance, Spring’s Checklist includes “catch a frog or toad” and “find antlers in the woods” – neither of which we can do easily right outside our door. And the majority of Winter Checklist items require snow, which we do not have.

The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book retails for $18.95.

How to use The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book in your own backyard
You don’t have to read The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book cover to cover. Just turn to the appropriate season and pick something fun to try.

The ideas are designed for kids 13 and under to do with their family. Most require no special supplies and should be things you can do right in your own backyard.

You can gauge how adventurous an activity might be by factoring in its “Adventure Scale” rating – 1 for nature newbies, 5 for experienced outdoor lovers.

Win a copy of The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book
Although I don’t have a copy of The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book to give away here, you’ve still got a chance to win one!

Authors Stacy and Ken are joining up with CLIF Kid as judges for their third annual Backyard Game of the Year contest. They’re also giving away a box of CLIF Kid ZBars and a signed copy of The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book to five lucky winners. Head here for more details. Contest runs through April. Good luck!

Note: I received a free copy of The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book in exchange for providing my honest review with you here. Read my full disclosure policy for more information.