Little House series – Kids books to teach traditional skills

The days are getting shorter and all those parents out there have probably already been reminded to read to their children. If you’re into the outdoors, survival, primitive skills or even simple just a history buff then I strongly recommend the Little House Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Somehow I missed this series as a kid, but I’m having a blast reading it to my kids now, and they have a blast listening and staring at the pictures. They love to learn about the tough pioneer days and the difficulties that seem so far removed from this day and age. Whether it’s the bad case of malaria that plagued the growing community on the prairie (and that was attributed to eating watermelons), or the chimney fires in the little log cabin to the very dangerous river crossings, there was a ton of experience and danger that accompanied daily life that the kids can learn about and learn to appreciate in this age of modern convenience.

For the first little while I was stopping whenever I encountered something that my five year old daughter wouldn’t have understood, like what’s a bobsled, or a yoke or dozens of other situations, but after pausing and explaining and then having to read Laura Ingalls Wilder explaining it in the next paragraph I realized how much attention was put into making this a teaching tool about pioneer times.

For me, my favorite part besides the story itself is definitely the skills that were used regularly and that have been lost. From building and notching a log cabin to making doors with leather hinges to smoking foods in a hollowed out chicory stump to cutting and storing ice for summer, to Almonzo’s experience trying to train his calves and more. It was a busier time and a harder one. Making a trip to town to trade firs was a 2 to 3 day trip and left your family to fend for themselves. But it was a full life. I still refer to my survival books to learn new things, but this series shows that many of these skills were not hobbies, their lives depended on them.

The books have just the right amount of drawings to keep the kids interested. My daughter attentively examines the art and absorbs what the author is saying. I only realized how much when she was leafing through one of the previous novels and recounted all the details of what was happening, the names of Mrs. Scott (let’s be honest, who remembers the few pages and which novel in which Mrs. Scott makes a appearance?).

To make it even more entertaining, we’ve started a few projects. We’re making a one room log cabin (a small one) and plan to put together a wagon, small furniture, etc. We made a Tee-pee after watching some videos about how they were made and we’re going to try to do some of the food projects (a.k.a. dinner) that they did. Nothing says Saturday morning like a heaping stack of pancakes!

Currently we’re on book 3 of the series and look at the wealthier Wilder family that Laura marries into later, but even in the second book (little house on the prairie) the kids started to call us “ma and pa” and take on the names of Laura, Mary and Baby Carrie. Unfortunately for my 2 sons, he got stuck with being mery an baby carrie. I doubt it will have lasting effects… at least until my daughter starts dressing them up in velvet for going to church on Sunday!

It’s a great series to read with your kids and is rich in history and experience, good times and hard times. It can teach us about the importance of a simple life. When your worldly possessions fit into a wagon and TVs and electronic toys don’t exist you don’t get bored, you actually have more fun, more exercise and learn more practical life lessons.

If you’re looking to buy this series, look at your local second hand store or borrow from a friend. These books are everywhere and cheap. Try to stick to the original series, and not the expanded set added to by other authors.