Digging Into Nature

Overview

You know your child would benefit from more time spent outside and less spent on a screen. But how important is it really? And what can you do to make it happen? In Digging Into Nature, pediatricians and nature advocates Drs. Pooja Sarin Tandon and Danette Swanson Glassy make the evidence-based case that your whole family will be happier, healthier, and more resilient when you spend time in nature. They offer a wealth of suggestions for age-appropriate, nature-based activities and guidance to help prioritize outside time. In addition to being doctors, Drs. Tandon and Glassy are also busy parents and grandparents. They recognize that your family might face challenges with regard to time, access, and more, when trying to get more green time. Their inclusive approach will help you address those obstacles will ensure your children reap the gifts that the great outdoors offers.

Reviews

"What a good and useful book this is!" — Nancy Pearl, librarian, writer, book reviewer, and author of George & Lizzie and the Book Lust series of recommended reading for all ages

"Overflowing with useful tips and insightful research, Digging Into Nature offers a fun guide for coaxing even the most reluctant children—and their parents—outside and enjoying "green time."" — Michaeleen Doucleff, New York Times best-selling author of Hunt, Gather, Parent

"A practical and also inspirational trail guide to finding ways out into nature for all children, and thereby enriching their health and well-being." — Perri Klass, MD, FAAP, coauthor of Quirky Kids: Understanding and Supporting Your Child With Developmental Differences, and professor of journalism and pediatrics, New York University

"Reading this fine book will serve not only as an informative guide but also as a balm and encouragement to anyone who takes children, and themselves, into the wonderment of nature." — Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder and other books about the human relationship with nature

"A must-read for parents and pediatricians, especially as a vital alternative to the time children spend on digital media." — Barry Zuckerman, MD, professor and chair emeritus of the Department of Pediatrics at Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and cofounder of several health initiatives, including Reach Out and Read, Small Moments: Big Impact, Health Leads, and the National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership

"A must-read for parents looking for alternative and healthy ways to raise children in a screen-saturated world. It is a beacon of hope." — Dimitri A. Christakis, MD, MPH, FAAP, chief health officer of Special Olympics International, editor in chief of JAMA Pediatrics, and investigator with the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute

"Needed now more than ever, this book is a prescription for a medicine of the best kind—nature." — Stephen J. Pont, MD, MPH, FAAP, associate professor of pediatrics and population health at the University of Texas Dell Medical School and cochair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Special Interest Group on Nature and Child Health

"This book will help you serve as your children’s best nature guide, no matter where you’re starting." — David L. Hill, MD, FAAP, associate medical editor of Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5

Author Biography

Pooja Sarin Tandon, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a general pediatrician and researcher at the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, associate professor at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, and Director of Health at the Trust for Public Land. She has published widely on the importance of physical activity, outdoor time, and nature contact for health. She lives in the Seattle area with her husband and two children. 

Danette Swanson Glassy, MD, FAAP, is a primary care pediatrician and child advocate. She is the co-founder and board president of the not-for-profit BestStart Washington and leads it’s Project Nature initiative–a program to support pediatric medical providers as they encourage children to spend time in nature. She is the co-editor of Caring for Our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 4th edition. Dr. Glassy lives in the Seattle area and enjoys exploring nature in the Pacific Northwest with her 2 grandchildren.