PART II

OUT-OF-DOOR LIFE FOR THE CHILDREN

I. A GROWING TIME

1. Why is out-of-door life for young children especially important in these days?

2. What are the gains of meals out of doors?

3. What might be accomplished by dwellers in towns and suburbs?

4. What five or six points should be remembered in a day in the open?

5. What of story-books or tale-telling on such occasions?

6. What of ‘the baby’?

II. ‘SIGHT-SEEING’

1. Give an example of ‘sight-seeing.’

2. What five or six educational uses may be made of ‘sight-seeing’?

3. Show the value of discriminating observation.

III. ‘PICTURE PAINTING’

1. What is meant by ‘picture painting’?

2. Give an example.

3. Show the value of this exercise.

4. What caution must be borne in mind?

5. What invaluable habit should this play tend to form?

6. What is the mother’s part in the play?

7. What is the after-reward for taking pains in the act of seeing?

IV. FLOWERS AND TREES

1. With what field crops may children become acquainted in your neighbourhood?

2. What should a child know about any wild flower of his neighbourhood?

3. How should children take up the study of trees?

4. Show how the seasons should be followed in this study.

5. What does Leigh Hunt say about flowers?

6. What use should be made of calendars and note-books?

7. What of the child who says, ‘I can’t stop thinking’?

V. ‘LIVING CREATURES’

1. What part of the pleasure in living creatures may be secured for town dwellers?

2. Of what ‘creatures’ may children observe the habits?

3. What points about an insect should children observe?

4. How did White of Selborne and Audubon get their bent towards nature?

5. What can town children do in getting a knowledge of ‘living creatures’?

6. Show that nature-knowledge is the most important knowledge for young children.

7. What intellectual powers are trained in the child naturalist?

8. Show that nature-work is especially valuable for girls.

VI. FIELD LORE AND NATURALISTS’ BOOKS

1. Should young children be taught the elements of natural science?

2. Show the value of rough classifications.

3. Contrast with classifications learnt from books.

4. What are the uses of Naturalists’ books?

5. Name a few.

6. Why should mothers and teachers have some knowledge of nature?

VII. THE CHILD GETS KNOWLEDGE BY MEANS OF HIS SENSES

1. Show, from the behaviour of a baby, that a child gets knowledge by means of his senses.

2. Characterise Nature’s teaching.

3. Wherein lies the danger of over-pressure?

4. Why are object-lessons inefficient?

5. Why does a child learn most from _things_?

6. Give some examples showing that a sense of beauty comes from early contact with nature.

7. What does Dickens say on the subject of a child’s observing powers?

VIII. THE CHILD SHOULD BE MADE FAMILIAR WITH NATURAL OBJECTS

1. Compare town and country as to things worth observing.

2. How does the fact that every natural object is a member of a series affect education?

3. ‘Power will pass more and more into the hands of scientific men’--how should this influence parents and teachers?

4. In what ways does intimacy with nature make for personal well-being?

IX. OUT-OF-DOOR GEOGRAPHY

1. Show that small things may suggest great in pictorial geography.

2. What should children be taught to observe about the position of the sun?

3. What, of clouds, rain, snow, and hail?

4. Show how, by pacing, a child should get the idea of distance.

5. What is the first step towards a knowledge of direction?

6. What practice should a child have in finding direction?

7. What compass-drill would you give him?

8. How should a child get the notion of boundaries?

9. When should he begin to make ‘plans’?

10. What geographical ideas should he get from his own neighbourhood?

X. THE CHILD AND MOTHER NATURE

1. Why must the mother refrain from much talk?

2. How is a new acquaintance begun?

3. What are the two things permissible to the mother?

XI. OUT-OF-DOOR GAMES, ETC.

1. Why should not the French lesson be omitted?

2. Why should children indulge in cries and shouts out of doors?

3. Why should _rondes_ be preserved?

4. What are the best ways of using skipping-rope and shuttlecock?

5. What is to be said for climbing?

6. What, for woollen garments?

XII. WALKS IN BAD WEATHER

1. Why are winter walks as necessary as summer walks?

2. What pleasures are connected with frost and snow?

3. How may children be kept alert on dull days?

4. How does winter lend itself to observation?

5. Why are wet weather tramps wholesome and necessary?

6. What sort of garments are necessary? Why?

7. What precautions should be borne in mind?

XIII. ‘RED INDIAN’ LIFE

1. What do you understand by ‘scouting’? Show the value of scouting.

2. Describe a ‘bird-stalking’ expedition.

3. In what ways should these things afford training?

XIV. THE CHILDREN REQUIRE COUNTRY AIR

1. How may the essential proportion of oxygen be diminished?

2. How is excess of carbonic acid gas produced?

3. Why do children, especially, need unvitiated, unimpoverished air?

4. Show that children require solar light.

5. Describe a physical ideal for a child, and show the use of having such an ideal.

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