We find ourselves immersed in a hectic and stressful back and forth. A dizzying pace and full of stimuli. In addition, and to top it off, as adults we transfer it to children, who already have too saturated agendas.
The following readings combine the binomial ‘nature and calm’, promoting tranquility to enjoy nature as a family and the emotional well-being of children. With them, sensory delight is guaranteed when hearing the rustling of the leaves or the murmur of the water; feel the sun on your face or the wind in your hair; observe the life that lies under a stone; touch the roughness of the bark of the trees or the roughness of the stones; the intense and tasty smell of ripe fruit or wet grass. Certainly, walking through natural corners not only helps to sharpen the five senses and appreciate the prevailing silence, but also to connect with the rhythm of the world, with ourselves and work on conscious attention, slow breathing, positive thinking and mindfulness.
Also, these ‘outings’ help the little ones realize the beauty and magic of little things; They allow biodiversity to be discovered, they promote respect for living beings (fauna and flora) and, without a doubt, they move them to recognize the immense value of the planet on which we live and which we have to take care of. All of them are elements that provide both emotional and vital well-being.
the rhythm of the world
The protagonist of this story is saturated with the noise of the city in which she lives: the motors of the vehicles, the people who speak too loudly and even shout, the beeps of the machines…
On a trip to the forest with his mother, he discovers a precious asset: silence. There, on the one hand, he perceives and enjoys the different sounds and colors that nature gives. And, on the other hand, she experiences how to connect with her own ‘I’ by listening to her slow breathing and her calm heart beating to the beat of nature. She attentively and fully feels the true rhythm of the world in both body and mind. The relaxation is such that she is aware of all the thoughts and sensations that are flowing in that peaceful and idyllic context. It is a compliment to live the ‘here and now’ in the middle of nature. For readers ages 5 and up.
- Author: Ayesha L. Rubio
- Editorial: Baobab
shut up for a moment
Two friends are playing at home. The girl asks the boy to shut up for a moment and be quiet so she can hear and discover what life sounds like. She repeatedly begs him to pay attention, to keep both his ears and his eyes wide open in order to be able to consciously perceive the passing of what is around them and, even more, to enjoy and connect in a pleasant way with the environment.
In silence, they hear the buzzing of a fly, the raindrops hitting the window, the bird singing in the nearby tree, the chicks chirping in a nest. What is their surprise when, thanks to that absolute silence, they are able to hear even the beating of their heart! For children from 5 years.
- Author: Hanna Johansen
- Editorial: Loguez editions
Calmly
It is informative book invites you to stop in contemplation to observe and listen to the small wonders that occur daily in nature. It calls for attention so that we abandon our frenetic and stressful daily life in order to stop and spend time enjoying, without haste, amazing and incredible natural phenomena.
To do this, it provides 50 magical stories and extraordinary events that delight us as long as we pay full attention and maximum connection with nature: cherry blossoms as a herald of spring, the surprise of an electrical storm on a summer, the orange sunset, the passing of a shooting star that illuminates the sky or the movement of the sunflower accompanied by the sun…. It is, in short, a song to calmly enjoy the simple things that are imperceptible to our eyes rushed. From 4 years.
Breathe
A child tells his mother that he is nervous, he can’t sleep because his head can’t stop thinking. The mother explains that conscious breathing is the key element to calm down, and for this, they practice different techniques to learn to relax: they work on inspiration and expiration, simulating having a paper boat on their belly; as if they were blowing up balloons or taking off like a propelled rocket bound for other galaxies…
Also, the little one becomes aware of body movements that contribute to calm and that imitate some animals: the owl (turning its head); the cat (stretching and arching its back); the cobra (raising its head and trunk); the crane (taking flight and maintaining balance). And in case fear lurks in the form of leaden and gray clouds that announce a storm, there is no better ally than the firm breath that drives them away. Finally, the child calms down and manages to fall asleep. Recommended for children from 3 years.
- Author: Inês Castel-Branco
- Editorial: Akiara
The sea
From her house in the city, a girl thinks longingly about the sea. Her head is flooded with images lived on the beach a while ago. It is so much her desire to return there that she evokes and recreates different moments. Her imagination overcomes the distance that separates her from the sea and she captures, through poetic metaphors, the presence of the ocean in everything she sees and surrounds her. Thus, a cat is a bluefin tuna fisherman or the toy boxes under her bed are chests full of treasures. She longs for it so much that she is even able to hear the songs of the whales, the hustle and bustle of the pirates, the serenity of the breeze, the sinuous movement of the waves or the silence of the bottom of the sea. What will happen when the family plans their next outing to the sea? From 4 years.
- Author: Jairo Buitrago
- Editorial: Tramuntana
Dad, are we going to see the moon tonight?
A father and his daughter observe from the window the undisputed protagonist of every night: the moon. The little girl knows that the satellite is far from her, but every day she talks to it with the wish that the moon will answer her sometime. Night after night, both share long moments contemplating her and from afar the moon is also watching them. Sometimes she is closer and seems bigger; other times, she plays hide-and-seek and hides behind the clouds. There are nights that it seems that he winks at them and is an accomplice. But the most fascinating time for father and daughter is the full moon phase. It is then that they are captivated by the wonderful and enormous kindness of the celestial body that approaches them to see them more closely and… perhaps dedicate some confidence to them or send them a kiss in the form of a shooting star? From 2 years.
- Author: Hector Anoro
- Editorial: The gallery
animal constructions
With this book it is possible to visit the most varied houses, homes, caves, burrows and nests built by animals with fascinating and surprising architecture. Thanks to the detail of the illustrations, the reader appreciates how in the animal kingdom each species provides its young with shelter that is not only comfortable, but also safe. Animals strive to build houses underground, on land or water, whether from a modest nest to house a small family or in carefully woven communities for colonies of individuals such as a neighborhood, a metropolis or a residential community. There is also a place for sweet homes where honey is not lacking or for temporary homes such as chrysalises.
Without a doubt, animals are skillful builders, ingenious architects, daring designers and impeccable engineers due to the use of materials, techniques and resources with which to adapt to the environment and survive. Has the human being been inspired by these constructions and has replicated them on a larger scale to build cities and towns? For children from 8 years old.
- Author: Emilia Dziubak
- Editorial: Flamboyant