To keep from spoiling the book for those who haven’t read it yet, I’ll post the discussion questions in the comments of this post. If you have read the book, click on “Comments” to respond with your thoughts. If you haven’t read it, then what are you waiting for?? Go out and get it!

Remember to be respectful of everyone, and the WBC should run smoothly. Let the discussion begin!

Despite all that, I can still find beauty in November. And perhaps having less to choose from makes that remaining beauty shine even brighter.

Make it your goal today to find beauty in unexpected places. Think about how the gray mist would set the perfect mood for a sinister scene. Study all the different types of rain, finding unique ways to describe each type. Take note of what happens to the world when the sun finally breaks through the clouds. Ponder how you feel when it’s sunny versus when it’s cloudy.

Kids in Nature Tip #10: November rain can be tricky to work with, but not impossible. Bundle your child in warm, waterproof clothes. If you have a porch, you can get a front-row seat for the rain without getting wet in the process. Rain is a perfect sensory experience. Have your child describe how it looks as it falls and lands, how it sounds on different surfaces, how it smells, how it feels on outstretched fingers, and how it tastes on an outstretched tongue!

When the rain stops, put on rubber boots and go puddle-jumping! And if the rain refuses to stop, take an umbrella with you! Kids are fascinated by all the changes rain can bring. You may find worms, a sparkly web, or a newly-created stream. And never give up hope for a rainbow.

And maybe you already do this. When you’re writing a story, it’s good to set up each scene with sensory details to make it come alive for the reader. Not an info dump in a big paragraph . . . I prefer it when the descriptions trickle in a little at a time. A sentence about sounds here, another about smell there, and so on. That way the reader always feel connected to the story-world without getting bored by it.

The more you practice sensory descriptions, the better you’ll get. When you’re in nature on a regular basis, there will be days when you can think of nothing inspiring. You may look at the blue sky and not think of one original description. You may feel completely cut off from the natural world and what it’s trying to tell you.

This is to be expected. Because there will be other days, amazing days, to make up for it. Just keep open to your surroundings, writing everything you think and feel. It may take you a while to pin down all five senses, but then you’ll be able to insert those descriptions into a scene whenever you want!

Kids in Nature Tip #9: You can ask your child sensory questions at any time. This is good practice for them, until utilizing their senses becomes a habit. Before you know it, they’ll be volunteering observations without any prompting from you.

Go on a sensory hike. Ask your child to open all five senses and tell you everything he notices. What sense is he using the most? The least? Bring a snack to get full use of taste!

As a new mother I worried about everything, especially the variables I couldn’t control. Taking my son into nature triggered my overprotective side. Was it too hot? Too cold? Too windy? Would he eat dirt, roll in poison ivy, or attract disease-carrying ticks and mosquitoes? By the time I applied sunscreen and insect repellent and determined how to dress him for the weather, the spontaneous joy of going outdoors had been lost.

For the first time in my life, I had more reasons to stay inside. I forgot how the benefits of time in nature always outweigh the negatives. I forgot that no matter how tired I felt, if I managed to drag myself outside I was always refreshed afterwards. I forgot how nature blessed my own childhood. My parents owned more than two hundred acres of farmland, woods, and fields. That acreage became my childhood playground and teenage refuge.

Looking back, the time I wasted on TV and computers grates on my nerves. Those unremarkable moments are now a big blur of pixels. My most vivid memories are the ones created in nature. I learned about life while eye-to-eye with a doe who crossed the creek toward my hiding spot before catching my scent. I learned about death from the red-tailed hawk and its bloody meal. I learned independence as I traipsed through quail-laden meadows or lay on the autumnal forest floor, the leaves spiraling around me. I learned who I was and who I wanted to be.

But somewhere in the sleepless nights and frequent illnesses, I lost my connection to the wilderness. That deprivation only amplified the stress of motherhood.

I didn’t realize the error of my ways until I read the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. With its wealth of evidence, it convinced me that nature-deficient disorder is a serious concern. Louv points to studies that suggest “exposure to nature may reduce the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and that it can improve all children’s cognitive abilities and resistance to negative stresses and depression.” Nature lengthens our attention spans, enhances our physical and emotional health, and heightens the way we experience our world with all five senses—making us feel more creative and alive.

If our generation fails to save wildlife and natural areas, the burden passes to our children. But they won’t fight to save nature unless they feel connected to it. This emotional bond, crucial to future conservation efforts, isn’t likely to form unless parents initiate the process.

Here’s the good news: You don’t need a science degree or special training to introduce kids to nature. As environmentalist Rachel Carson said, “It is not half so important to know as to feel when introducing a young child to the natural world.” Simply set a goal to be outside every day, even if it rains or snows. Once you get out the door, the hard part is over.

Start with exploring your backyard or a nearby park. Tiny ecosystems are waiting in a garden, under a tree, and even in a ditch. My five-year-old son and I discuss every plant and animal we find. Sometimes we lie in the grass and look for shapes in the clouds. Then I tell him to close his eyes and touch-hear-smell-taste the world around him. When he says he can’t taste without food in his mouth, I urge him to taste the wind.

The wonder of nature is calming and inspiring to even the youngest of children. Enjoy a brisk walk under the moon and stars. Follow animal tracks in the snow. Take weekend excursions for sledding and skiing. Local wilderness areas offer a change of scenery and more opportunities.

If you want help teaching your kids about nature, consult Louv’s wonderful book or many others. From gardening to natural history, from camping to craft ideas, you will never run out of ways to connect with the wild. For a child who shows interest in a specific area—such as zoology, botany, geology, or astronomy—check out appropriate field guides from the library until you find one that best suits your needs. Some kids may prefer to take pictures, sketch, or write about their experiences. Nature welcomes scientists and artists alike.

Since making my own goal to reconnect with nature, I’ve created many vivid memories with my son. Like the time we went sledding in a snowfall, with flakes swirling down and spraying up until we tumbled off the sled in a fit of giggles. Or the time we chased after butterflies in our yard until the neighbors probably thought we were crazy. Or, just recently, when we catapulted into mounds of fragrant, multicolored leaves. These are moments we will cherish for the rest of our lives.

It’s hard to escape the constant mechanical and electrical sounds; most of the time we don’t even notice them because we’re so used to them. But if we can manage to get away from our houses, natural sounds will trigger our creative thinking. Just another reason to write in nature!

Listen closely to the song of nature. What is it telling you? What subtleties do you hear?

Kids in Nature Tip #8: Any day that your child is tired or sick is a good day for exploring sound. You can sit or lie down, close your eyes, and simply listen! The less movement and distractions, the more you’ll be able to hear. Urge your child to listen to the wind in the trees. Ask her what it reminds her of. Music? Whispers?

Tell your child how every species of bird has a distinctive song. Ornithologists rely heavily on sounds to identify birds. A bird may be hidden in brush or in the treetops, lost to sight; but if you hear and recognize its song, you can identify a bird that would have otherwise remained a mystery. Try learning a few simple bird songs or calls (note: this will be much easier in the spring time!).

And don’t forget the ever-changing sounds of November rain.

Writing in Nature Tip #7: Touch can vary so much in nature. Ever notice how the wind can feel cold or warm, soft or harsh, caressing or stinging? Water can be icy-cold runoff from a glacier or steaming in a hot spring. Nature is constantly changing, so a description today may not work for tomorrow!

Don’t settle for a lazy, ordinary description. Get out there and feel what you’re describing! Is a leaf brittle, smooth, cracked, crunchy? Is a seed fuzzy, spiky, prickly, sticky? Dirt can be packed hard or gooey mud, and sand can be coarse or fine. Feel the trunks of different trees and compare the bumpy to the scratchy to the flaky. Nature offers every texture from the silt in a stream to the thorn of a rose.

Kids in Nature Tip #7: Get an opaque bag and fill it with treasures from nature: grasses, rocks, twigs, seeds, tree bark, leaves, flowers, etc. Then have your child close her eyes, reach in the bag, and try to guess each object by how it feels. If she needs warming up beforehand, go for a nature hike where she can hone her touching skills! Supervise her discoveries and ask her to describe each thing.

Explain how seeds have unique functions. Some are designed to stick to fur or clothing, some are meant to be eaten by animals and transferred that way, and still others are meant to travel by wind, like the seeds of this butterfly weed:

This month I’m doing things a little different. Instead of me posting all the discussion questions, I want you to come up with the questions! In the comments below, bring up any question you want to talk about. Remember to be respectful of everyone, and the WBC should run smoothly. Let the discussion begin!

Autumn is brimming with the rich, musky smells of harvest, falling leaves, and smoke. Rain enhances fragrances, while wind swirls them under your nose. Some are unpleasant—smog or a rotting animal—and others are addictive to the nose—grass and trees and flowers and plants. Wildlife habitats such as forests, prairies, and bodies of water offer a myriad of fragrances.

Some smells are obvious and well-known, while others hide. If you take the seed head of a coneflower and crumble the individual seeds into your hand, a strong citrus odor will fill your nose. Find these hidden smells and describe them to bring life to your story.

Kids in Nature Tip #6: Have your child close her eyes as you hold various things from nature—leaves, flowers, grass, tree bark, seeds—under her nose. See if she can guess what each one is!

Explain how everything in nature has a distinctive smell. Not all trees smell alike! Compare a dead tree to an alive tree, or a deciduous tree to a coniferous tree. The same goes for leaves and flowers. Urge your child to smell things he wouldn’t normally think of, like rocks or various plants. Then have him describe each smell. My son often comes up with silly descriptions that I love. A few examples: “The sun smells like yellow; that seed makes my nose laugh like the wind; the tree warmed my nose.”

Gathering food from nature can still be an option, but the rules go beyond the scope of this blog. If you’re not already familiar with collecting, you would need (at the very least) a very good field guide to edible plants, seeds, and roots.

We can gain peace of mind by planting our own organic gardens or orchards, or by purchasing food from farmers’ markets. Taste the difference between local food and food that traveled a thousand miles or more to reach your grocery store. Now is the time to till up a plot for next spring. What will you treat your taste buds to??

Kids in Nature Tip #5: Tomorrow looks to be another unseasonably warm day. Why not pack a picnic with your kids? If not a full meal, at least a snack. Take a basket and a blanket to one of your favorite nature spots. Everything tastes better outdoors! It could be your last picnic until spring.

Fall is a time of pumpkin bread and squash soup, of apple cider and roasted marshmallows. Harvest is bountiful and waiting to be shared with children.

If nothing else, part your lips and let in the fragrances of autumn. Taste the breeze and get silly describing it!