Introduce Your Child to Adventure Sports With These Five Outdoor Children’s Books

Help your child learn about adventure sports by reading these attention-grabbing children's titles.

Maria Aldrich | Nov 10, 2024

A young boy reading outdoors with a sunset / Unsplash

Introducing your child to adventure sports does not need to be a massive undertaking. Doing so can be as simple as watching climbing movies, swimming in wild locations, or cuddling up and reading a good adventure book together before bed. These five books will have your child dreaming of adventure, all while providing valuable life lessons.

If You Give a Girl a Bike, by Hayley Diep and Braden Hallett (Illustrator)

If You Give a Girl a Bike shows the bravery of young girls interested in biking, climbing, skateboarding, surfing, and everything in between. The vibrant illustrations are sure to catch your child's attention as they join the characters on each of their adventures. This is a story of bold, brave, and passionate young children.

Age Range: Up to age 8

Grandma Gatewood Hikes the Appalachian Trail: A Picture Book Biography, by Jennifer Thermes

Perhaps you have read the book, Grandma Gatewood's Walk, written by Ben Montgomery who tells the striking story of Emma Gatewood on the Appalachian Trail. The children's version by Jennifer Thermes is just as compelling and hones in on the resilience she Emma Gatewood had while hiking. The author delves into Gatewood's life before the trail, what it was like thru-hiking, and the kindness to experiences from strangers along the way.

Age Range: 5-7 years

I Want to Climb Like the Animals Do!, by Ciera Clayton

Ciera Clayton wrote this story to follow the journey of a 6-year-old girl named Sophie who wants to climb like the animals she sees around her. To help Sophie achieve this, her family decides to bring her to an indoor climbing gym. This story was written by climbers who describe basic climbing movements in a way that children and non-climbers will understand.

Age Range: 4-8 years

My Mum's a Scuba Diver, by Sarah Richard and Elisa Varetti (Illustrator)

If your children are fascinated by marine life, this is the perfect bedtime story to read. This lighthearted rhyming book is written from a child's point-of-view as the young girl shares her mother's scuba diving adventures. The illustrations are stunning and depict the unseen life underwater.

Age Range: Up to age 8

How to Solve a Problem: The Rise (and Falls) of a Rock-Climbing Champion, by Ashima Shiraishi and Yao Xiao (Illustrator)

Ashima Shiraishi is a professional rock climber who has a true talent for storytelling. In How to Solve a Problem, she explains that "problem" is a term used in bouldering. To conquer a bouldering problem, one must climb to the top. Likewise, conquering a problem in life requires one to overcome challenges. Shiraishi draws a similarity between climbing and life in this story of perseverance.

Age Range: 4-8 years

Published Nov 6, 2024|Modified Nov 10, 2024

MARIA ALDRICH

Maria Aldrich graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Wilderness Education. While earning her degrees, she learned the fundamentals of climbing, wilderness travel, and leadership in the backcountry. These skills built upon Maria's lifelong passion for the outdoors. Following graduation, she began working in the outdoor recreation field, serving individuals with disabilities to help them access outdoor pursuits including hiking, paddling, horseback riding, and snowshoeing. The following year, Maria moved to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State to continue working towards a life of adventure and writing. She has continued rock and ice climbing, hiking in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks, and paddling through various rivers while documenting her experiences through writing. When Maria isn’t adventuring in the mountains, she can be found reading a book, fishing on a shoreline, or spending time with family.