The term “dog days of summer” goes back to the time of the ancient Greeks.

In late July, the star Sirius – otherwise known as the “dog star” – would appear to rise just before the sun. In The Iliad, the dog star was considered a bad omen.

Even if you don’t take much stock in omens, the dog days of summer can be unwelcome news for parents. Summer camp and vacation are over, and kids may not have much to do until school starts.

In the age of Netflix, iPads and the Nintendo Switch, getting kids to unplug and play outside might seem like more of a challenge than ever before.

One way to get kids to venture outdoors is by offering them books that are inspired by nature. Here are a few picks that will hopefully encourage outdoor play in your backyard this summer.

There's more to outdoor play on your swing set than just swinging back and forth.

Spend enough time reading parenting blogs – the way we do – and you'll see that there are a lot of fun, developmental activities for kids that involve swing sets.

Whether you’re a fan of vinyl or wooden swing sets, there's something on this list from The Inspired Treehouse to help your child grow and have fun.

Your children are home from school. They’re out on the wooden swing set in your backyard, or engaged in some sort of outdoor play.

The school day may be done, but in a way, they’re still in the classroom. That’s because spending time outdoors helps them learn and grow.

“Green environments are an essential component of a healthy human habitat,”: says Dr. Frances Ming Kuo, an internationally-recognized expert in the relationship between nature and human health.

She uses the term “Vitamin G” (as in “green”) to illustrate how important it is to spend time outdoors. Just like vitamins A or D (which you also get from spending time outside), being in nature is something we need in regular doses.