Hours in the Out of Doors is a collection of Charlotte Mason’s thoughts and ideas explaing how essential nature study is for the growth and development of children emotionally, spiritually, physically, and mentally. It is a parent resource and is great for helping you to “catch the vision” of Nature Study.
The Handbook of Nature Study is a reference-type book. I use it to look up things that we have discovered on a nature walk or to further study animals that we have encountered in other places, like the Burgess Bird/Animal Books.
Outdoor Secrets and OS Companion is a delightful collection of stories and experiences designed to help teach your child to be diligent in his observations of Nature. It is a great curriculum and will require that you purchase/borrow/substitute lots of other living books to help teach your child. It is wonderful. You can count it as a year of science, esp. for a K. The PS only does a few weeks of science introduction in K anyway, and this is so much better.
Nature’s Notes is a great book written to encourage children to hand-on explore the world around them. It teaches a few things like how to make observation tubes, how to take pictures with your cameras, and what kind of things to look for on a nature walk/hike and has wonderful pictures with little blurby facts about the picture’s subject. It really is a fun book – I read it cover to cover the day we bought it. 😉
If you are looking for a wonderful science curriculum – the Outdoor Secrets/Companion is the way to go.
For a great Nature Study book, Nature’s Notes is your book. The Handbook of Nature Study has your back with further information about anything you see and want to know more about.
Hours in the Out of Doors gives you the motivation to use the other books. 😉
I have them all, and use the books that way.