Although I spent much time outdoors playing and camping as a child, I never would have termed myself a naturalist. My family and I loved nature, but in all of our time there, I never recall formally studying nature together. Of course, I learned about the natural cycles in elementary school, and in my older school years, I studied animals and plant parts with more detail, but somehow in my young mind, the two worlds remained entirely separate: one part formal academic study and another part an environment for our family life. Years later, when I first began homeschooling, I always wanted to find a way to incorporate more connection between our love of the outdoors and natural learning. Can children and adults enjoy nature without formal study of it? Of course! But what a gift to connect both a love and knowledge of the world around us.
But let’s be honest. Nature studies can feel intimidating. If you’ve browsed social media or the internet, you’ve already discovered beautiful nature projects parents and children are creating together, and it can feel paralyzing if it’s not your own strength. I’m letting you know nature studies do not have to be intimidating or paralyzing. During our many years in homeschooling, we’ve studied and enjoyed the natural world in a variety of beautiful, yet casual manners. The most important part is including it in your routine in a manner which fits your own style and home rhythm. Here’s a few ways we’ve included our love of nature in our own days.
Whether you live in a city neighborhood or a rural countryside, walking is the best way to slowly discover. You may simply notice the types of flowers that are blooming or discuss why the leaves fall. Why are leaves different in shape? What is their purpose? Is the grass in the field the same as the grass in your own yard? Do all the bird songs sound the same? Is one louder than the others? These type of questions can be conversational, and most importantly teach you and your children to pause and notice.
Grammar and preschool-aged children might enjoy collecting various leaves or bugs to touch and observe more closely. Use the internet or your own books to help identify them. We often do this in our garden to identify bugs as friend or foe.
Each library trip, we pick up a few new books on science and nature. In early years, they went through their own interests thoroughly and might not move on until they had read/looked at every book our library had on the subject, be it sharks or turtles or penguins or whales. As they have grown older, I’ve noticed my children are more interested in the processes. For instance, how does a tree grow or a bird lay an egg? Some of our favorite books are: anything by Steve Jenkins, Animalium, Nature Anatomy, and Farm Anatomy and vintage nature books we discover in used book stores.
Draw | Paint | Write
We have not consistently kept nature journals in our home. Like most children, my own love art, so they often draw or paint what inspires them in nature, but we have not organized this in a very tidy way. I’m trying to change that this year, as they’re all getting a little older and are able to keep their own work organized. Our family rarely carries notebooks around with us on our walks or hikes. Instead, we take photographs or collect plants or small insents in paper bags or jars to bring home with us. Sometimes we simply observe and then look at images in books or online afterward. Do whatever style works for you.
As for supplies, if you'd like to bring your notebooks along, make sure to find a bound notebook. Strathmore makes lovely ones in various sizes. We use individual cardstock found at an office supply store and collect paintings and drawings together in one binder (per child). We use Lyra colored pencils–the Ferby tri-grip for little hands and the Rembrandt for the older children–and Stockmar watercolors for our paintings. The children label what they illustrate and often write a sentence of something interesting or even silly they learned about their creature or plant. When it dries, they slide it into a sheet protetcor in their binder.
Form a nature group.
When my children were younger, I met with a local nature group weekly to have a walk with our children and then have lunch together in the park. We met in different parts of our town, and when possible, had someone specific share about the habitat. This was perfect for that part of our life. We don't formally meet with a group in our community now, but we've learned to enjoy one another in this way. As my children have grown older, I realize they want to grow in their own relationships with nature. I'm grateful for our time of study that helps foster it.