EP279: Nurturing Little Explorers: Cultivating the Animal Adventurer with Susie Spikol
Joining me today is a guest who truly embodies the spirit of being an animal adventurer, Susie Spikol. Susie is a naturalist, educator, and author of the captivating book, "The Animal Adventurer's Guide."
If you're an animal lover who enjoys following animal tracks and chasing fireflies, then this episode is for you. Susie will discuss the importance of connecting kids to nature in the digital age, her love for animals with "bad reputations," and share tips for nighttime animal observation using a flashlight.
With over 30 years of experience as a naturalist and educator, Susie knows the activities that kids and families love. This episode is all about practicality. With Susie's invaluable reminders, we can rediscover the enchantment of the world right outside our doorstep.
“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it.”
-David Sobel
About Susie
Susie Spikol is a naturalist at the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock, New Hampshire. If you ask Spikol her favorite animal, she will not be able to choose. She has spent her entire life loving animals, especially the ones that have “bad reputations” like the petite but venomous short-tailed shrew and the famously stinky striped skunk. In her three-decade long career, Spikol helps people of all ages fall in love with and connect with the natural world. From going on midnight owling expeditions and early morning bird walks to catching frogs and following bear tracks on snowshoes, she spends many of her workdays outside in search of animals and their signs. Known by some as the Princess of Poop, Spikol’s award-worthy scat collection has been the talk of her small town when it was once showcased at the town library. When she isn’t at work leading people of all ages on nature walks or in her office sorting her scat collection, she spends time writing about nature and can be found outside with her three children and two dogs having their own wild adventures.
Links Discussed in This Episode
Order a Copy of Minimalist Moms: Living and Parenting with Simplicity
Book: Childhood and Nature: Design Principles for Educators by David Sobel
Book: Wild Play by David Sobel
Book: Beyond Ecophobia: Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education by David Sobel
Book: Gnomes by Wil Huygen
Connect with Susie:
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