Publications

books

Our latest book

LIVE LIKE A HUNTER GATHERER

If you imagined that all Stone Age people lived in caves, were not very clever, not very clean and said “Ugg” a lot, then think again. Marking the start of all human history, the Stone Age lasted around 3.5 million years (the last part of that was only 71 grandparents ago!). Delve into that incredible time with this book packed full of amazing facts, information, crafts, storytelling and myth debunking to find out what it was really like to live as a hunter gatherer.

Many of our Stone Age ancestors' everyday needs were similar to ours – how to keep warm, where to sleep and what to eat and drink. We find out how they met those needs, what a typical day was like, what medicine they used and even how they had fun – all brought to life with beautifully detailed illustrations. Dotted through the book are step-by-step craft activities and recipes that give you first-hand experience of some vital Stone Age skills – making a Mesolithic shelter, fat lamps, a digging stick, creating cave art, making a bow and arrow and a fishing hook are just a few.

A fictional tribe member pops up throughout the book to tell us about her life, describing the sights, sounds, smells and emotions she experiences. The safety of a warm cave with flickering firelight and other tribe members nearby, the gnawing feeling of hunger when food is scarce and the excited relief when a deer is hunted.

BEST SELLING BOOK

Forest School adventure

Learn how to light a fire without matches, build a shelter to sleep in, cook on a fire, hunt for bugs and much more.

From essential bushcraft basics and Stone Age survival skills to joyful outdoor play, this book is packed with ideas to bring your little ones closer to nature and all its magical offerings.

URBAN FOREST SCHOOL

Is the view from your window more concrete than countryside and are you more familiar with graffiti than green grass? Just because you live in a town or city, it doesn't mean that learning about wildlife, nature and the great outdoors isn't for you. This activity-packed book helps you to make the most of your local patch and discover the hidden things you don't see when travelling around by car. Urban gardens, allotments, parks, cemeteries, playgrounds and more provide green havens and opportunities for some magical forest-school fun. Whether it be collecting sticks in playgrounds or foraging for nettles in a nearby park, there is so much to explore and learn about. Venture out to your local green space or just into your back garden, if you have one, and have a go at the amazing array of outdoor activities described here: from building a hidden sheet den to creating watering stations for bees. While you are there, scavenge and forage for raw materials and then extend the fun with creative makes and recipes to do back at home such as leaf printing, stick boats and stinging nettle crisps (if you dare!). Get to know the wild parts of your city or town with handy bug, plant and tree ID sections, plus a scavenger hunt and cloud-spotting game that can be done when out and about. Games to play with organised groups or with your family and friends add another dimension to this book that is bursting with ideas for urban outdoor adventures.

About the AuthorS

Dan Walmsley (formerly Westall) and Naomi Walmsley run The Stone Age Company from their patch of woodland in the UK. Specialising in bushcraft and Stone Age skills, they provide unique experiences for school children and teachers to connect to nature.

Dan has been a bushcraft teacher for many years and has also acted as a medic and survival consultant on various TV shows. Naomi is a qualified bushcraft instructor and Forest School Leader and believes that every child should be able to safely light a fire and have at least ten uses for a stick by the age of ten.

Together, they undertook a five-month Stone Age immersion experience in the US, living in the wilderness without any modern equipment, profoundly influencing their lives and teaching. Find out more about Dan & Naomi.

You can purchase books below.

BUY LIVE LIKE A HUNTER GATHERER

BUY FOREST SCHOOL ADVENUTRE

BUY URBAN FOREST SCHOOL