The books selected are full of ideas and activities to get children and families enjoying time outside exploring nature. Through crafts, activities, journal prompts, and more, be inspired to spend time connecting with the outdoors. Check out these books at a local library, or order online.

Take the pledge to spend 100 hours (or more) outdoors during your summer break with our 100 Hours Outdoors program.

Cover of A Friend to Nature book. Shows illustration of 3 kids running outside, with the cover surrounded in leaves, flowers, insects, and birds.

A friend to nature by laura knowles

Activities and inspiration to connect with the wild world.

Chocked full of activities to explore plants and animals outside, with a special focus on caring for nature. Cute illustrations make it easy to understand, great for many age groups with ideas for children and families alike.


Libraries: Stone County Library, Springfield-Greene County Library
Purchase: Amazon

Cover of Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars book, blue cover with child looking at stars

Catch a Crayfish, Count the stars by steve rinella

Fun projects, skills, and adventures for outdoor kids.

A hands-on, gloves-off, muddy-boots activity book for young adventurers, offering fun projects and adventures to build lifeline skills and knowledge about the natural world.

Libraries: Stone County Library, Springfield-Greene County Library, Christian County Library
Purchase: Amazon

Cover of the Nature Adventure Book, words on arrow sign, decorated with leaves, plants, animals, crafts

The Nature Adventure Book by Katie Taylor

Encourage your little nature lover to explore the great outdoors and get their hands dirty! With over 20 crafts and games to discover, this activity book for kids offers a fun, hand-on approach to getting kids outdoors and exploring the great outdoors all year round.


Libraries: Stone County Library, Springfield-Greene County Library
Purchase: Amazon

The Curious Nature Guide By Clare Walker Leslie

Explore the natural wonders all around you.

With dozens of simple prompts and exercises, this book invites you to step outside for just a few minutes a day, reignite your sense of wonder about the natural world, and discover the peace and grounding that come from connecting with nature.

Purchase: Amazon

Cover of The Kids Outdoor Adventure book, with images of outdoors like sunset, starfish, a creek, sunflower, frog on lilly pad, etc.

The Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book by Stacy Tornio and Ken Keffer

448 great things to do in nature before you grow up.

A fun, hand on approach to getting involved in nature, this book is a year-round how-to activity guidebook for getting kids outdoors and exploring nature, be it catching fireflies in the cool summer evenings; making bird feeders in the fall from peanut butter, pine cones, and seed; building a snowman in 3 feet of fresh snow; or playing duck, duck, goose with friends in a meadow on a warm spring day.

Libraries: Stone County Library, Springfield-Greene County Library, Christian County Library, Barry-Lawrence County Library
Purchase: Amazon

101 Things to do on a Walk by Kait Eaton

Take a walk on the wild side with this outdoor activity book that will turn your next family ramble into the ultimate walking adventure. Packed with 101 fun and creative ideas from constructing an obstacle course, reading maps, and cloudgazing; this epic guide will show you how to embrace our natural world and enjoy a restorative stomp outside.

Libraries: Springfield-Greene County Library, Stone County Library
Purchase: Amazon

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