Rediscovering a Child's Sense of Wonder: Depictions of Nature and Outdoor Play in Historical Children's Literature

How was the depiction of nature affected by or how did it affect images of children, the education of children, and/or developmental ideas of children? ■ ■ How did portrayals of nature in children's books reflect what was happening in society as a whole?(romanticism vs. rationalism, science, modernism, etc.) ■ ■ How did children's literature portray green spaces/outdoor play/interactions with nature?■ ■ Did these depictions relate to or reflect movements promoting the health and welfare of children?For example, I am particularly interested in the "fresh air" and playground movements of the Progressive era and how they compare and contrast to similar efforts today, such as those inspired by the work of Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods.When I began my survey of literature in the Baldwin Library's collection, I focused on the following: ■ ■ Images/illustrations -scenes of children playing outdoors and in nature ■ ■ Attitudes toward play presented by adults and authority figures (making note of appropriate references in the text) ■ ■ Rediscovering a Child's Sense of Wonder ■ ■ Play ■ ■ Games and Sports (including playgrounds) ■ ■ Nature Study, with the following subcategories ■ ❍ Wonders of God's Creation, including care and keeping of the same ■ ❍ Conservation/Environmentalism ■ ❍ Outdoor Handicraft/Camping ■ ❍ Free Exploration/Enjoyment of Nature