Exploring the Outdoors and Healing Through Play

Reading With your Kids

In a captivating podcast episode, author Susie Spikol shares her passionate approach to reconnecting children with the natural world through her innovative book, Forest Magic for Kids. This non-fiction nature activity guide offers families a unique opportunity to explore the outdoors, spark imagination, and rediscover the joy of unstructured play. Spikol, a naturalist with over 30 years of experience, challenges traditional nature education by focusing on exploration and wonder rather than strict scientific identification. Her book provides families with over 50 activities that encourage children to engage with nature through creativity, imagination, and playful discovery. From building mouse villages to creating secret forts, Forest Magic invites families to step away from screens and reconnect with the natural world around them. The conversation highlights a critical concern about modern childhood: the decline of independent, unstructured play. Spikol argues that children today spend too much time in supervised activities and on digital devices, missing out on crucial developmental experiences that come from free exploration and imaginative play. Drawing from her Brooklyn roots and lifelong passion for nature, Spikol emphasizes that natural experiences aren't limited to vast wilderness. Even urban environments offer opportunities for discovery, from tiny insects in sidewalk cracks to unexpected plants growing through pavement. Forest Magic for Kids is more than just a book—it's an invitation to families to slow down, notice the world around them, and create meaningful shared experiences. Spikol's approach encourages parents to become playful guides, modeling curiosity and wonder for their children. For families seeking to break free from digital distractions and rediscover the magic of outdoor exploration, Susie Spikol's Forest Magic for Kids offers a refreshing, imaginative approach to connecting with nature and each other. Readers can find the book at independent bookstores, online retailers, and local libraries, making it easily accessible for families ready to embark on their own nature adventures.

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