Book Review: How to Raise a Wild Child

 

I am a nature-loving person. We live in a rural area and are blessed to have several hundred acres of land that we are free to roam. I am determined to raise my son to enjoy the outdoors and to take care of it. I have read several books on the topic since he was born. Every once in awhile, I find one that I feel has some implications to us as Speech Pathologists. I reviewed  "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv here. 

In "How to Raise A Wild Child," Scott D. Sampson (affiliate link), raises the question of how we are supposed to teach a generation of children to value and preserve nature when they are largely disconnected from it. The book is obviously written for parents, but there are some great tidbits for educators in there, too. He hypothesizes that kids need to know HOW nature works to truly appreciate it. That got me thinking of all the ways I can incorporate these concepts into therapy. Can we work on sequencing using natural events (plant growth, butterfly cycles, etc)? Can we work on story re-tell using books about nature? Can I use nature-based crafts to target following directions? Can we compare and contrast various wildflowers, leaves, or bugs?

I also do a lot of play based therapy with my Early Intervention and preschool-aged children. Dr. Sampson reported that "Wired" magazine reported that the 5 best toys were: sticks, boxes, string, cardboard tubes, and dirt. They can be used in a variety of ways to encourage imaginative play. I am definitely guilty of using toys with specific purposes. Dr. Sampson also discusses the benefits of unstructured play for the development of problem solving, social skills, etc. Can we go outside to create some play opportunities? Can we build things in the snow? Can we play in a sandbox? Can we go on a nature walk?

Furthermore, nature provides tons of benefits for mental health and physical health (especially immune system and obesity). This got me thinking about things like serving on committees to plan playgrounds or parks or starting a Family Nature Club in my school district. Can I have my students plant flowers or vegetables? Can we simply have our therapy session outside? Can we play more physical games outside? Can we watch birds outside and narrate their movements to work on verb vocabulary (eating, hopping, flying, sitting, etc). Can we imitate these movements? Can we gather rocks and hide them in various places - describing where they are to work on spatial concepts?

Because I live in a rural area, I think I tend to think of "nature" as big spaces. But Dr. Sampson points out all the different places that nature can be - backyards, parks, ditches, etc. Can I coach parents to use these places to target language skills while getting their child immersed in nature - thus teaching language skills while instilling a love of nature? How can I help parents to take advantage of these place, view them as nature, and find them in their communities? 

Another common mistake I make is viewing nature experiences as big productions that will take a lot of time and money. But they don't have to be. He discusses the "sit and see" that literally only takes minutes per day and can be done in your backyard. How can we incorporate this into school settings? How can I coach parents to do this as well? How can I incorporate language skills?

While this book definitely isn't for speech pathologists, it can help us incorporate nature into our therapy sessions. It has certainly given me a lot to think about! I know it will be a process, but I am working hard to find ways to incorporate nature into speech therapy - and this book gave me lots of ideas. With a little problem solving and critical thinking, I think anyone can find a few ideas they can incorporate into therapy sessions. If you are a nature-loving SLP that wants to encourage that love in your students, check this book out!