Seasons of Play
$20.00
Our own Rusty Keeler’s new book!
Seasons of Play
Natural Environments of Wonder
By Rusty Keeler
Recent research has drawn the link between children¹s brain development and time spent in the natural environment. Every child deserves a safe play to play, supportive adults to watch him grow, and an environment that offers her endless possibilities. In Seasons of Play, Rusty Keeler takes readers on a photographic journey through real child care centers that have embraced his philosophy that natural play environments create new opportunities for children to explore and grow.
Photos, words, and illustrations by Rusty Keeler
Paperback: 216 pages
Publisher: Gryphon House (October 1, 2016)
Earthplay –
The pages of this book are filled with photos that create a beautiful visual display of the possibilities for play during all seasons for young children in an outdoor natural playscape. Rusty’s insight into the thoughtful design put into each space by each of the providers helps to bridge the gap between beautiful ideas and how to bring those ideas to life in a play space for children. In addition to the beautiful visual display this book provides, Rusty has dedicated a short but very helpful section in the book to questions, answers, tips, tools, and resources for providers looking to make changes to an existing outdoor space or build a new outdoor space for their own programs. Seasons of Play is a tool that belongs on every early childhood educator’s bookshelf to be pulled out repeatedly for inspiration as all outdoor environments naturally change over time. –Stephanie Krause, Bloom Children’s Center
Heather Hansen-Dunbar –
This book immediately beckons & screams “Joy Over Here!” I could not wait to digest the pictorial feast it offers. The photos pull you in quickly and COMPLETELY immerse you into the programs’ environments. You instantly feel a part of these programs. As you turn the pages, you hear children giggling, digging, chanting, crunching & whispering. The descriptions and words are simple and concise adding just enough to flesh out your interpretation but leaving room for you to feel personally engaged. I immediately began to make lists of things to gather, tasks to undertake to modify & evolve my outdoor spaces. By having the four seasons depicted at each program, Rusty eliminates the statements that naysayers may trot out such as “But that won’t work in Winter. They won’t use that in Fall.” etc. The photos reveal the planning is easy & the interviews make your feel capable! This book is a MUST for EVERY ECE program whether home based or centre, lab school or just a family backyard! It holds a priority place on my desk & will be opened often.