Nature Picture Books to Inspire Kids to get outside and explore

*This post contains affiliate links*

In a world where TV and computer games steal the hearts of most young people (mine included) I thought it would be fun to look at how picture books can inspire kids to get outside and explore nature! We have some lovely Nature Picture Books that inspire our kids to be a wilderness enthusiast and venture outdoors! I’ve popped together lots of children’s books covering a variety of nature themes that I hope will inspire your family’s outdoor adventures. I hope you find a few new nature books your kids will enjoy.

Nature Picture Books to Inspire Kids to Get Outdoors!

The Littlest Gardener by Emily Hughes

Through gorgeous illustrations, Hughes introduces us to the hopes and frustrations of the littlest gardener. There is so much to love in this little story. It tells the tale of a little gardener and how his garden meant everything to him. He worked hard, very hard, but he was just too little (or at least he felt he was). It’s a tale that teaches us just how important it is to persist and try, no matter what the odds. Just like her other books, Hughes once again transports us to a world full of fantasy and wonder with her gorgeous illustrations. Buy ‘The Littlest Gardener’ here.

The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle

Another book that has a moral of ‘small things can be powerful’. In this beautiful book that follows the seasons, a tiny seed flies along on the wind. It is too small to fall into the ocean and drown. It is too small to be seen by a bird and eaten. It is also too small to be gobbled by a mouse. It may be small, but it is patient and strong. It lies in the ground and takes its time and eventually becomes a flowering plant. The tiny seed grows and becomes a beautiful, strong flower. It has the tell tale illustrations of Eric Carle which are just as engaging as ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’ and it has educational value as a great introduction to the life-cycle of flowering plants. Buy it here. You might also like this book on how seeds and plants grow lapbook for 2nd to 6th grades. I also love these ideas for ladybug books for kids!

Books to inspire Young Environmentalists

It Starts with a Seed by Laura Knowles

This is a beautiful book with beautiful illustrations that would also make a great gift for a new baby or a christening. It Starts with a Seed from Quatro books features stunning illustrations and a pull out large back page – it’s a rhyme that tells the story of the birth of a tree. It is such a delightful poem all about how life starts with a seed which the reader follows as it lands on the ground and transforms to a sapling, then to a large tree that covers the entire page and is home to many creatures. This book teaches children about the life cycle of the tree as well as giving them a wider understanding of the creatures that make a tree their home. It will truly inspire you to want to plant a tree!

Earth Heroes

Earth Heroes  by Lily Dyu from Nosy Crow is a great book for those wishing to learn about those who have contributed to changing the world. It’s an empowering read inspiring us with 20 stories of inspirational people from all over the world that transformed the world. It’s beautifully illustrated by Amy Blackwell, and this updated new gift edition features amazing additions such as Felix Finkbeiner and Charles and Perrine Herve-Gruyer, as well as Amelia Telford, Andrew Turton and Pete Ceglinski, Bittu Sahgal, Chewang Norphel, David Attenborough among others! I love that it covers Earth Heroes from all over the globe and with from different cultures and traditions. You can purchase it here. You’ll love these other Earth Day Books for Kids too!

If your kids like Adventure books then they’ll love our ultimate list of the Best Adventure Books for kids that love Exploring.

Greta and the Giants by Zoe Tucker

Greta and the Giants is inspired by Greta Thunberg’s stand to save the world. This would be a perfect gift for young planet lovers not least because a 3% donation is given to Greenpeace UK from the sale of this book and the paper is from sustainable resources. It’s a gentle story with beautiful, bold illustrations about how the giants are destroying the forest and making the animals unhappy, the animals ask Greta to help them, she feels so sad she comes up with an idea to try make the giants change their ways. It carries a real message for children because at the back of the book is a page with the inspiring headline “No one is too small to help”. It lists some ways we can all help Greta to fight the giants in the real world and lists some excellent websites for further education on the subject. We loved the sentence at the bottom stating “You might not think that it won’t make a difference but if we all work together we can change the world”. Buy your copy here.

NATURE BOOKS TO ENCOURAGE EXPLORATION!

Hello Nature: Draw, Collect, Make and Grow by Nina Chakrabarti

This is your very own nature scrapbook, packed with fascinating facts and brilliant activities. Doodle, draw and colour in leaves, butterflies, plants and much more.  Find out how many different types of snowflakes are there, and how are leaves formed? Find out how to make your own leaf prints, twig sculptures and mini beast hotels. With beautiful, distinctive illustrations, explore the weird and wonderful nature things you can find all around you – whether you’re out in a park, in your back garden or sitting in your living room at home! This is a bumper packed nature book full of things to explore and make. Buy your copy here.

Wind and the Willows

Kate Hindley’s whimsical and warming depiction of the beloved classic, The Wind in the Willows is a real must have for nature lovers and makes a perfect gift with these stunning illustrations. Kids will love the gorgeous animal drawings – it’s a real must have classic for your shelves. This is a remarkable, beautifully written classic story of friendship with plenty of outdoor adventures and river play (well messing about in boats and having picnics!) Buy it here.

And Everything will be glad to see you

If you’re looking for a gift for a girl – you’ll love this girl empowering poetry book. With sumptuous finishes including cloth binding, full colour illustrations throughout, textured paper and a ribbon marker, this is the perfect gift to begin a lifelong love of poetry. It’s a really beautiful poetry book with many outdoor poems and nature focused illustrations.

From well-loved poets, including Maya Angelou, Wendy Cope, and Christina Rossetti, to newer voices such as Amanda Gorman and Yrsa Daley-Ward this outstanding collection poems for every mood and every moment. Ella’s selection is wide-ranging but accessible and will appeal to poetry lovers both young and old alike. Buy it here.

National Trust: 2021 Nature Month-By-Month: A Children’s Almanac

This is a beautiful hardback book from Nosy Crow for those that love to go outside but need some more inspiration and ideas for all year round nature activities. It’s fully illustrated guide and includes nature spotter guides, indoor and outdoor craft and activity ideas, seasonal recipes and celebrations of religious festivals and special events. A wonderful gift to treasure and explore over the coming year, this gorgeous almanac will encourage young readers to connect with nature and the world around and celebrate each season as it comes.  You can buy it here.

The Hike by Alison Farrell

The Hike – you can’t help but get swept along with these young explorers and share in their joy and wonder as they discover new things. It’s the kind of book that makes you want to hit the trail and find all these amazing plants and animals yourself or with some friends. It’s a lovely nature picture book that also teaches resilience and how to overcome your fears. I also love that there are no parents in the book and it encourages kids to be adventurous and independent. It took a couple read-throughs before the kids noticed that there was a chipmunk hidden in every picture, and that adds another layer of interest to the book. With beautiful green illustrations and a labels detailing what certain animals and plants are, this makes for a fantastic blend of fiction and non-fiction. This is a great book for nature-loving children and perfect for children who want to convince their parents to let them be more independent!

Children’s Nature Themed Book Storage

With such a lovely selection of Nature Books for kids, many that will make beautiful gift ideas – they’ll need an equally beautiful place of storage. Although book cases keep things tidy – they don’t always inspire children to pick up the books and get reading! We love this GLTC wooden hedgehog book cart which is perfect for little ones to take their adventure inspiring books on an actual venture. If you’re kids are like mine, they’ll name it (Betsy) and want to take their Hedgehog Book Cart out and about with all their favourite books. It’s also great for tidying up on the go!

Children’s Books about enjoying the Great Outdoors

FRANKLIN FROG AND CORA CATERPILLAR 

These books from Nosy Crow are a brilliant way to introduce children to nature. Franklin Frog and Cora Caterpillar by Emily Tranter take readers on a journey through the life of a frog; explaining all the details of how it lives. There are beautiful pictures which my 5 year old adores but these books work for older children too as they have an interesting but factual narrative, friendly characters, fascinating facts and graphic illustrations about life cycles. My 8 and 10 year olds also enjoyed the scientific aspects of the book. We all enjoyed the pictures of the life cycles at the end which make them easy to remember.