INTRODUCTION 



THE PURPOSE of Nature in Recreation is two-fold: first, to inject fun into a 

 recreation program by introducing Nature through the different activities 

 and, second, to indicate some workable approaches and methods that will 

 create an "awareness" of living things in the world about us. There is no 

 intention here to stress microscopic examinations, give names by the score, 

 catalogue species, or attempt scientific classifications. It is hoped that this 

 book will be the means of introducing Nature to hundreds of boys and girls 

 in a friendly, intimate fashion. 



Since the conservation of natural materials has become so vital a problem 

 in American life, the spirit of "letting live" and learning to know the nature 

 objects in their natural settings is carried throughout the book. The young 

 naturalist will find many suggestions for carrying on his study of living 

 things without possessing them, and the chapters on Handcrafts and Pho- 

 tography will give him information on how to keep data and records with- 

 out picking specimens for collections. 



If Nature in Recreation can give a knowledge and enjoyment of living 

 things and the way they live without destroying them, it will have given 



to youth one of the greatest possible gifts. 



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