Reviews (4)

WOW!
I just bought this recently, and it is much better than I even expected. I have a bunch of camping books in my library, and this one is better than many more expensive adult books. It has great advice even for adults, but is indespensible for camping with kids. It teaches you how to build a fire safely, cooking on the fire, (great kid favorites recipes), dealing with bugs, how to pick a camp site, what kind of Lots of safety tips too. The fun drawings make this a pleasure as well.

The authors show you how to make a reflector oven. The main feature if this book is the fun activities for around the fire such as stories songs, games, etc. Teaches kids how to identify the stars easily and even identify features on the face of the moon. I plan to use this with our Cub Scouts.

Great for Novice and Experienced Campers Alike
This book flows like the campfire. From gathering the supplies, to lighting the fire, to the blaze, to the dieing fire, to the embers it's an enjoyable experience.

It has lots of activities: stories, songs, skits, etc. to make your campfire an enjoyable experience.

I wish I had owned this book when I taught a Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation for teaching Cub Scout Adults about making a successful overnight campout.

This book has been added to my library and will be suggested at all future BALOO trainings.

Excellent source for camping with children
I am a girl scout leader and was looking for a book to help me on my first trip with young children (grades 2-4). It provided me with useful recipes for cooking on coals, cooking in a pit, or even a reflector oven. This book has many good suggestions for campfire games and even activities that can be used for achieving try-its or even junior level badges. Summer stargazing and moonwatching are covered in detail. This is a great book for beginners or experienced campers. You must have this book if you enjoy the outdoor overnight experience.

A fun book
"The Kids Campfire Book" is a wonderful collection of all sorts of things kids want to know and do with campfires: building a fire, songs, star gazing, stories, recipes and lots more. The illustrations are clear and charming! I've used it with Cub Scouts and at a lake cabin, and it adapts to any similar situation. A good resource for anyone camping or enjoying a campfire with kids. ... Read more

Book Description

Safe, fun, and enriching summer programs are the backbone of Peterson’s Summer Opportunities for Kids & Teenagers. The annually updated guide provides complete information on more than 3,000 summer camps, arts programs, sports clinics, academic courses, travel tours, wilderness adventures, and volunteer opportunities throughout the U.S. and abroad. There are programs for every child’s interests and every family’s budget—from pre-college preparation courses held on private school or college campuses and traditional summer camps replete with lakes, to wilderness treks in the American West, community service projects in Costa Rica and bicycling, sailing, or train tours to hundreds of countries around the world. Peterson’s Summer Opportunities for Kids & Teenagers also includes detailed two-page descriptions written by camp personnel for nearly 300 summer camps and programs. ... Read more

Book Description

A startling amalgam of Zulu war-cry and Sherlock Holmes, of practical tips on health and hygiene and object lessons in woodcraft, Scouting for Boys (1908) is the original blueprint and inspiration for the Boy Scout Movement.An all-time bestseller in the English-speaking world, second in its heyday only to the Bible, it is one of the most influential manuals for youth ever published, known and loved around the world. Including all of Baden-Powell's original illustrations, this new critical edition of Scouting for Boys serves up a wonderful hodge-podge of true crime stories, stern moralizing, stock adventure tales, natural history, first-aid tips, advice on observation and tracking, and much more. Readers will find a roughly composed pastiche of jingoist lore and tracker legend, padded with lengthy quotations from adventure fiction--from Rudyard Kipling and James Fenimore Cooper, to Alexander Dumas and Arthur Conan Doyle--and seamed through with the multiple anxieties of its time: fears of degeneration ('the fall of the Roman empire was due to bad citizenship') and a constant worry over imminent war. Alongside practical instructions on how to light fires, build a boat, or stalk animals (or men), it includes sections on chivalry, self-discipline, self-improvement, and citizenship. Indeed, the book brims with Baden-Powell's philosophy of life, one that replaces self with service, puts country before the individual, and duty above all.The introduction by Elleke Boehmer illuminates the book's maverick complexity and her notes clarify obscure references. Though almost a century old, Scouting for Boys continues to fascinate, surprise, and motivate readers today. It will delight anyone interested in popular culture, Victorian history, and literature for children. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"The British Empire wants your help"
At the very beginning of the twentieth century, retired General Robert Baden-Powell, the hero of the siege of Mafeking, coalesced his ideas for an organization to train young British boys in scouting for the British Empire. Not a very organized thinker, Baden-Powell borrowed heavily from all sorts of unrelated resources - newspaper articles, military dispatches, fiction, and much more - and produced this, his first book on scouting. Originally published as six separate books, this book brings all of them together, complete with original illustrations.

Now, as might be expected from its roots, this book reflects a lot of the biases and ways of thinking from Edwardian England. But, leaving that aside, this is a fun and interesting book that shows clearly the forms that have stayed with the Boy Scouts movement to this very day. The introduction was written by Elleke Boehmer, a professor of Colonial and Postcolonial literature, and is a fairly predictable deconstruction/analysis of B-P and his movement.

Now, as a newcomer to Scouting (my son is a Tenderfoot) did I find anything useful in this book? I sure did. Robert Baden-Powell was very knowledgeable about the subject, and this book sure shows it. (I never thought of tying my shoes like that!) Of course some of the information is out of date, especially the first-aid information, so it isn't really usable by the boys "as is." But, this is a nice resource, one that shows you where Scouting started.

Oh, and I must say that I actually enjoyed the somewhat jumbled organization of this book. It isn't as scholarly and antiseptic as modern Boy Scout books, and the stories and tales laced throughout make the reading much more fun. Plus, I did find the focus on some subjects, such as logic and deductive reasoning, to be quite interesting. I loved this book, and highly recommend it to you! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Every thing you need to know about hunting
This is a great book about hunting. It includes all the things you need to know. It talks about safety, equipmement, clothing, rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, bows and arrows, deer and where they live, venison, barrel, shell, slug, and caliber ext.... ... Read more

Book Description

What ever happened to free time? Today’s kids are plugged in, turned on, and pitched to—with no time or space to feed the birds, collect star dust, or watch the tide come in. Here’s a simple way to give kids those out-of-door experiences that shape childhood, create memories, and forge lifelong bonds with nature and family.

Chock full of 120 activities to play and projects to make, GO OUTSIDE provides year-round fun for urban, suburban, and rural kids alike. Step-by-step directions and detailed black and white photos will inspire young adventurers to create luxurious leaf crowns and crazy compasses or to spend afternoons filled with silly snow paint and riotous pool relays. Let GO OUTSIDE open the door to a world of free, unstructured play time! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Handbook for raising Tom Sawyer
I hardly know where to begin. Like the Boys' and Girls' Handybooks, this hefty little book is full of ideas from a bygone era. Written in 1906, the activities are not always the kind of things our kids can do today...but this is a book of IDEAS! While you might not want to camp in a swamp, this book will tell you how. That information might come in useful for another project someday. The book also has historical value--the vocabulary is sometimes quite dated--but that's part of the fun!

Other ideas from the book, which is organized by season: Kites, herbarium, quail farming, bird houses, cages, aquaria, carts, rafts, boats, camping, indoor ideas, outdoor cooking, sleds, packs, and so much more. Oh, and DO learn how to cook a muskrat! ... Read more

Book Description

Children's activity book that teaches fishing skills in a fun, interesting way. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A "must" for all young and aspiring fishermen!
Fishing In A Brook: Angling Activities For Kids is the latest in a the Gibbs Smith series of activity books for children ages six and up. Author Lawson Drinkard shows kids how to make a pole; catch bait; cast a line; make a tackle box; fill the tackle box with bobbers, sinkers, poppers, spoons, and jigs. Fishing In A Brook also covers the different kinds of fish kids could catch and what to do with them once they have them caught. Engagingly illustrated by Fran Lee, there's a wealth of fun fish facts and activities like "A Slimy Worm Safari" to help any youngster become an expert fisherman whether by a brook, on a bayou, off a pier, on a bay, lake, stream or river! Other highly recommended titles in this outstanding activity book series include: Cooking On A Stick: Campfire Recipes For Kids; Sleeping In A Sack: Camping Activities For Kids; Trekking On A Trail: Hiking Adventures For Kids; and Hiding In A Fort: Backyard Retreats For Kids. ... Read more

Book Description

Everything that happens when you go camping can be an adventure, from getting dressed inside your sleeping bag on a chilly morning to meeting a moose to sharing secrets in a tent at night. Kristine O"Connell George turns the memorable moments of a family outing into spirited, evocative verse, and Kate Kiesler"s vivid paintings provide a cast of characters and the perfect setting. The captivating poems and pictures in Toasting Marshmallows will leave readers with wonderful memories of a camping trip—even if they"ve never been on one! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pure enjoyment!
There are, in each of Kristine O'Connell George's books, moments that make you gasp with the depth of insight she's put into words. "Toasting Marshmallows" is no different in that respect and is a joy to read. George has captured the sights, sounds -- and silences that are part of camping. With humor and joy, the camping experience -- from setting up the tent to listening to an owl --is illuminated and enhanced by the words in this delightful book of poems. A treasure for the summer -- and all year round! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (3)

Heavy on the Backyard
There's a lot of mommy-targeted "fun" activities here but not too many for the woods.

I'm still looking for the perfect family camping book.

Teacher/Mother
This is a wonderful book that can keep children occupied for hours on end. It provides many activities that children can do alone or with their parents. Most of the materials required can be found in the home or outside. The children will learn valuable survival information from many of the activities. The projects are worth the effort; they don't result in a choppy hodge-podge of junk. The illustrations are very helpful. Overall, this book is great for teachers, parents, and children.

Innovative Fun!
Kids Camp offers innovative ideas to help kids of all ages keep busy during camp outings, even on raining days. Laurie Carlson offers 100+ original ideas, including instructions on concocting "wilderness punch" and writing with berry ink, guaranteed to entertain young campers. Whether you are organizing a scout campout, or camping in your own backyard, Kids Camp offers original and creative ideas, accompanied by great illustrations, to entertain and educate children and adults! ... Read more

Book Description

6X8 In, 64 Pp, Full-Color Illustrations < Throughout < From The Team That Brought You The < Deliciously Successful Cooking On A < Stick: Campfire Recipes For Kids Comes < Even More Outdoor Fun For Kids. It's < All Here! You'll Find Out How To Have < A Full, Well-Planned, and Adventurous < Camping Trip--Whether That Trip Is A < Night In The Backyard Or Two Weeks In < The Woods. and It's Filled With Lively < Illustrations, How-To Diagrams, and < Packing Lists. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Useful book
My children and I were introduced to this book through a friend who'd heard the author speak. We've used several of the ideas in our latest camping trips and found it very useful.

Sleeping in a Sack
I found this to be a great resource for kids new to camping. Checklists, ideas for low-impact camping, and activites abound in a very user-friendly format. Not necessarily great for more experienced campers, but perfect for my first-grade Girl Scout troop!

Title doesn't fit subject matter
This is where ordering a book through the internet is a little disappointing, as you can't browse the book before purchasing it. "Camping Activities for Kids" is very light on the "activities." It does a good job of laying out items that should be brought along on ones first camping trip, but falls short on suggesting outdoor activities for kids. The activities that are suggested are a little simplistic. For example, "laying sticks apart from one another and pretending it's a river, and then have the kids jump over it and playing golf with sticks and using pine cones as balls." I was hoping for more endepth activities. If it's your first time camping this books okay, but if you've camped for awhile and your kids are a little older the book falls short so look for something else. ... Read more

Book Description

Survival in the wilderness--Gary Paulsen writes about it so powerfully in his novels Hatchet and The River because he's lived it.These essays recount his adventures alone and with friends, along the rivers and in the woods of northern Minnesota. There, fishing and hunting are serious business, requiring skill, secrets, and inspiration. Luck, too--not every big one gets away.

This book takes readers through the seasons, from the incredible taste of a spring fish fresh from the smokehouse, to the first sight of the first deer, to the peace of the winter days spent dreaming by the stove in a fishhouse on the ice. In Paulsen's north country, every expedition is a major one, and often hilarious.

Once again Gary Paulsen demonstrates why he is one of America's most beloved writers, for he shows us fishing and hunting as pleasure, as art, as companionship, and as sources of life's deepest lessons. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Bringing The Outside In
This book truly brings nature to your fingertips. As a reader, I felt as if I was out in the wild, experiencing everything of which Paulsen wrote. With the descriptive settings and easy-to-relate-to tales, Paulsen makes the reader feel as if they have entered the woods along with the characters in the story. The essays on fishing and hunting in the northern woods are definitely his best work yet! This book is easy to follow, yet has very deep and interesting accounts.
I recommend this illustration to anyone who enjoys the great outdoors. If you want to learn about cold, winter morning fishing excursions, or hot, summer days in the woods, this is the perfect book to help fulfill your curiosity. Father Water Mother Woods is worth your time of reading and is definitely a classic.

Review of Father Water, Mother Woods
Paulsen writes about seasons in his hometown being determined by types of fish caught down by the dam, under the Ninth street bridge, or in frozen lakes, and not by dates on calendars. When fishing ends, hunting is the obsession for Paulsen and friends he calls "orphans of the woods." He explains, "When we were in the woods or fishing the rivers and lakes our lives didn't hurt."

This book is a nature lover's choice. Paulsen writes of growing up in a small Minnesota town and he intertwines this town's life with stories of adventurous boys. Two of my favorite essays are "Running the River" and "Bow Hunting." The first is a hilarious tale of an overplanned camping trip gone wrong when the boat, full of supplies and boys, sinks, forcing the boys to walk back to town. "Bow Hunting" is a coming of age essay in which a boy, after killing his first doe, poignantly describes his realization that while his life will continue, hers will not.

Excellent Book
This is an excellent book. The book is written in such detail that it is easy to imagine yourself being there. This is a great book for those of any age. It will bring back some good memories of your childhood.

Great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is one of the best books I have read about outdoors. The stories were exellently written and engulfed me in the happnings. I felt as if I could smell the crisp morning air on the first day of hunting season.I would give this book 50 stars but there is only five on the sheet. ... Read more

Book Description

Some people see a wall and look for a way around it. Other people look for a way over it! If you are one of those, then this introduction to rock climbing is the book for you! Explore the different kinds of climbing, the equipment climbers use, and how they stay safe.Soon, you'll want to start tackling that wall! ... Read more

Book Description

Offering more than 100 activities for vacations spent near the water, in the mountains, at a cottage, or camping, this is the complete summer survival book. Filled with safety tips, ecological pointers, and wildlife features, this handbook can help transform an ordinary vacation into an unforgettable one. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I had to buy it
I borrowed this book from the library. After reading the book I realized that this would be a book that we would use for many summers. It has several other ideas different from the "standard" books about what to do in the summer. I am a full time mom, in the summer the kids and I are eyeball to eyeball. I need new ideas all of the time. This book gave me new ideas.

A great book for bored kids on a hot summer day.
I found this book to be wonderful. I bought it for myself because it looked cool. There's so muh to do. Kids can do things by the water, in the mountains, at night, hiking or camping, when it's raining or even if your stuck in the house. It has more than 100 activities. It offers things such as how to build a fire, how to make a tree fort, what plants to stay away from, several different games for different times and places, and many many different things. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Camp Rules! is the most awesome camp journal ever!

Check it out:
* Super cool night-writing pen with built-in light illuminates the page
* 8 detachable postcards
* Games, jokes, tricks
* Amazing info on stars, plants, hiking and more
* Lots and lots of journal pages
* Measures 6-1/4" wide x 8-1/4" high ... Read more

Book Description

Kids will be hooked! The Young Fishing Enthusiast is the perfect introduction to the popular sport of fishing. Practical information is given on choosing the right rod and tackle for fresh or salt water fishing, and what to wear on expeditions. Step-by-step photographs and clear instructions explain how to prepare bait, cast your line, and land your fish. Expert advice on where different fish live and feed and how to catch them. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

For enthusiasts of all ages!
The Young Fishing Enthusiast is an excellent teaching aid to novice fishermen of any age. Using lots and lots of excellent photographs to grab the reader's interest, this book covers all aspects of fishing--from history of fish, gear to use, knot tying, fly fishing vs. lure fishing, andbait lore. It has a decided earth-friendly slant to it with sections oncatch-and-release fishing and "considerate fishing" (sharing thelakes and rivers with other enthusiasts and wildlife.) A wonderful overviewfor anyone just getting their feet wet, so to speak. ... Read more