Children’s Books for Natural Living Families
If your family practices gentle parenting, natural living, or holistic health, you may have noticed a lack of children’s books that reflect those values. Until now, it’s been disappointing because books that show children thriving in a similar environment to their own are important to help normalize it.
There’s no shortage of wonderful children’s books that encourage a love of the planet, animals, and nature. But one thing that’s been missing was a book or series based around a natural living family.
You might be thinking about all of the books on your child’s shelf right now. I’ve thought about it a lot, too! My kids are beyond children’s books now, but we’ve had hundreds over the years. And in my role here at Green Child, publishers or creators constantly send us information on a variety of mindfulness, nature, inclusion, and educational books.
There are a few books written from the perspective of homeschooled or unschooled kids. But I had never read one that offers a window into a natural living based home… until I saw the line of children’s books from Earthley Wellness.
Kid-Friendly Books From a Natural Living Perspective
Families are all different. So it’s nice when the stories and programs our kids are exposed to reflect those differences.
Through books, kids can learn about life in thousands of different places as well as tons of approaches to school, parenting, hobbies, and so much more. Rural kids can learn about city life, and vice versa.
Stories like Earthley’s offer a look into the beautiful, unique, and enriching world of families like the one followed in their book series. The Green family lives on a small homestead in a midwestern town. They homeschool, garden, make homemade foods, practice gentle parenting, and use natural remedies.
Here, we’re sharing a look at four of these fun and engaging children’s books.
The Green Family Goes Wildcrafting
It’s a beautiful spring morning, and the Green children are looking at the dandelions in bloom. After a healthy breakfast, Mama takes the kids outside to learn about and gather edible and medicinal herbs right in their own backyard.
They spend the day not only learning about wildcrafting, but actually doing it by picking dandelions and violets and then helping make recipes and salves. Mama explains to them how the earth makes so many things that are healthy for us. And it’s fun to watch the kids foraging for food and medicine right in their own yard.
The story is sweet, fun, and beautifully illustrated. It also includes discussion questions and recipes for violet jelly, dandelion muffins, and dandelion and strawberry salad.
The Green Family Gets the Sniffles
Violet wakes up with a cold on a day they’re supposed to head to the town’s ice festival. Papa takes the healthy kids off for an adventure, while Mama stays behind to take care of poor Violet.
But Mama knows just what to do! She gives Violet her homemade elderberry syrup. It’s made from elderberries they grew in their garden along with fresh ginger, whole cloves, and raw honey from their neighbor’s bees. Mama also makes a pot of chicken soup and warm ginger lemon tea.
Mama is nurturing to Violet throughout the story. And when her siblings come home talking about how much fun the ice festival was, they are thoughtful and ask how Violet is feeling.
This would be a great book to have on hand in case of a sick day. It shows a child who is disappointed to miss a fun family outing but understands that her health is a priority. The family’s kindness toward Violet is also a little bit “chicken soup for the soul” and we love it.
The book also includes discussion questions. Plus it has recipes for elderberry syrup and ginger tea.
The Green Family Goes to Homeschool Co-op
The Green children are excited for homeschool co-op day. Over a healthy breakfast, they talk about what they’re most looking forward to, and everyone is excited.
The older children build terrariums for worms. They love the messy science project and enjoy their time outside digging for worms to go inside their new homes. They made new friends, enjoyed book club, and got plenty of fun exercise riding scooters and practicing hitting tennis balls in gym. The little ones did arts and crafts and played with sensory boxes.
At lunch, all the kids have healthy meals with plenty of fresh fruits in front of them. They finished out their day with subjects like Medieval studies, computer coding, and cooking. Then the children helped clean up and they hugged their friends goodbye.
Our kids have been part of homeschooling co-ops, and the one outlined in this book is impressive! And following their usual format, it wraps up with discussion questions and recipes for almond butter cranberry granola and ginger astragalus root tea.
The Green Family Visits the Midwife
In this story, Mama shares an exciting announcement with the Green children — they’re expecting a new baby! The family goes together to visit the midwife, where they get to see how Mama and baby are doing and ask questions as they prepare for a home birth.
The midwife, Carrie, welcomes the children and answers their many questions. She involves them by letting them hold tools like the fetoscope. Mama and the midwife talk about her healthy diet and how she is drinking raspberry leaf tea every day.
Now the kids have to be patient for five more months to welcome their new baby sister or brother.
This book shows natural birth in a very positive light. Mama is a very conscious pregnant mother and the midwife is knowledgable, professional, and kind. It ends with discussion questions and recipes for nourishing herbal tea and a breakfast smoothie.
More About Earthley Wellness
Earthley Wellness offers a wide variety of natural products and herbal remedies you can trust. They offer an extensive line of amazing products for adults. And they also have helpful products and resources for pregnancy, babies, and kids:
Pregnancy and Baby Products
Homeschool Unit Studies
Herbal Remedies
If your family has a favorite book – of these or other – tell us about it below!