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Simple Ways to Study Nature in Your Homeschool This Winter

There are so many simple ways to study nature in your homeschool this winter! From nature walks to indoor studies, use this guide as a starting point for making memories together.

Simple Ways to Study Nature in Your Homeschool This Winter

There are so many simple ways to study nature in your homeschool this winter! From nature walks to indoor studies, use this guide as a starting point for making memories together.
Photos by Amy Law

Take a First Day of Winter Nature Walk

Getting outside for a walk on the first day of winter may be one of the most refreshing activities you could do with your children. The temperatures drop and we huddle inside more and more, especially on the shortest day of the year!

“The most obvious work of nature has been the preparation for winter. A wide range of observation should be used to impress the truth: the trees and shrubs have lost their leaves, and stored the provisions for spring in the buds and branches; many softer plants die down to the ground, storing the food in roots, others in bulbs, and still others in tubers. The question may be asked for each plant that comes up for observation – How did it get ready for winter?”

Nature Study by Months
There are so many simple ways to study nature in your homeschool this winter! From nature walks to indoor studies, use this guide as a starting point for making memories together.

1. Take a walk this week and spend a few minutes looking at the plants in your yard and neighborhood. Look for bushes and trees without leaves, stopping to note that these plants are many times not dead but just waiting for spring to begin a new growth cycle. Don’t go into too much detail but allow time for quiet observation.

2. After your outdoor time, spend a few minutes discussing how plants get ready for winter. You can bring out the following points:

  • Some plants (Annuals) have seeds that survive the winter even when the plant does not.
  • Other plants (Perennials) have roots that survive the winter and start to grow again in the spring.
  • Deciduous trees shed their leaves, conserve food, and have buds that are waiting until spring to open and grow.

3. Make a nature journal entry recording anything of interest from your outdoor time.

Alternately, make plans to get outside for a brisk nature walk and then to follow up with a nature journal page recording all of the interesting things you found while outside.

animal tracks in winter

Animals in Winter Homeschool Nature Study

“The same thought should be applied to the animals. Most of the birds have gone south because of the cold, and also because their food is gone; the frogs, turtles, and toads are going to sleep all winter down in the mud or earth below the frost; the caterpillars are waiting in their cocoons for the warm spring sunshine; most of the other insects have laid their eggs for the next season, while a few of them have crawled into warm places to wait; the squirrels have gathered a store of nuts, and will soon be asleep in the old tree-trunks; the cats dogs, horses, and cows have grown a fresh coat of hair and fur. Nothing is forgotten; each is ready in its own best way.”

Nature Study by Months

Ideas to Prepare for Outdoor Study:

This will be another easy week of nature study that will blend easily with other Outdoor Hour Challenges. Take the opportunity to spend some time outdoors noticing the way that animals prepare for winter. Make this one an investigation!

You might prepare with a little discussion about the various animals and birds that live in your local area. Some ideas to get you started:

  • migrating or visiting birds
  • squirrels gathering nuts
  • insects in cocoons
  • changes in color of various animals as they prepare for the white of the snow time
  • You can also read this article: Animals in Winter.
snow homeschool nature study
Snow Outdoor Hour Challenge included in Homeschool Nature Study membership!

Get Outside!

Bundle up and spend fifteen minutes outdoors enjoying the December world. A good nature walk is pleasurable for everyone and allows you and your children to appreciate God’s beautiful creation. The best times I can remember with my children are the times we just took it slow and easy, looking for the little things that most people pass by.

Look for signs of animals and think about ways they prepare for winter. You can also make bird and animal observations, noting their behavior. How are they staying warm? finding food? sheltering from the weather?

Encourage everyone to use all of their senses on this walk:

  • Did they see something colorful or unusual?
  • How does the air feel on your skin?
  • Is there a particular fragrance to the air?
  • Can you listen carefully for a minute or two to distinguish any particular sounds?

Another idea is to ask your children to find differences in the landscape, comparing your neighborhood habitat on this winter day to what they remember about the first day of summer. This is a little harder and you may need to help them get started with a few of your own observations.

More Outdoor Hour Challenge Ideas:

  • Turn over a rock and see what’s underneath.
  • Look up in the branches of the trees and see if you can find any birds or other critters.
  • Sit quietly by the edge of a pond or stream and see what comes along.
  • Breathe the air and enjoy the day.
indoor winter nature study ideas for your homeschool

Follow Up Indoor Winter Nature Study Activities:

  • After your outdoor time allow time for a nature journal entry. Use the notebook page or the journal idea from the December Newsletter to record your observations of anything that your child finds interesting. I also have a December World Notebook Page included Homechool Nature Study Membership or you can use one of the journaling pages included in the free membership sample, below.
  • Maybe this week you could use a different art medium in your journal…many of us get stuck in a rut. Offer colored pencils, thin markers, watercolors, or pastels.

Paint a Winter Frosty Leaf in Chalk Pastels

Nana of You ARE an ARTiST offers a sample of her winter art lessons series in You ARE an ARTiST Complete Clubhouse membership. Suggested supplies: dark blue construction paper and leaf chalk pastel colors. Baby wipes or slightly damp paper towel for easy clean up.

  • You could also try offering modeling clay as an alternative to drawing the subject this week and then take a photo of the finished product to include in the nature journal.
  • Additional Link: Animals in Winter lapbook – free printable

Not all nature study needs to happen outdoors during the winter season! There are so many lovely ideas for you in Taking Your Winter Nature Study Indoors.

Wonderful Winter Homeschool Nature Study Topics

In Homeschool Nature Study membership, each challenge gives you step by step instructions to get started with simple weekly nature study ideas…even in the middle of winter! This may just be what your homeschool week needs to get you through the cold winter days of January, February, and March.

Each challenge is written for you to complete in your own neighborhood or backyard and you can adapt each challenge to fit your local area with suggestions I offer with each topic. Don’t be discouraged if you look at the list of topics and think you don’t have that particular subject close at hand. I will guide you through finding a replacement to still offer you a weekly dose of nature study.

The winter homeschool nature study challenges were written for families with children of all ages. In addition to the regular challenge, I have bumped up the nature study for older or more experienced children, complete with their own set of notebooking pages. You will be able to use these studies with your whole family and pull it out from year to year and have a nature study resource for all levels.

Outdoor Hour Challenges for Winter – Bring the Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

Membership includes all you need for using the Handbook of Nature Study and enjoying learning together as a family. See a sample membership Winter Homeschool Nature Study by signing up with the form, below.

Membership includes all of this plus MORE!

  • notebook pages and coloring pages
  • Upper Level notebook pages for advanced or experienced students
  • Charlotte Mason style exam questions
  • Complete list of supplies needed
  • Detailed instructions for each challenge, including links and printables
  • Nature journal suggestions
  • Alternate ideas to adapt the challenges to your local area

Members also enjoy:

  • Bird in Snow video art lesson
  • First Day of Winter Walk and Observations Page
  • December World Notebook Page
  • Winter Weather Observations Journal Page
  • Window Observations Journal Page
  • December Words and Poem Journal Page

Special Outdoor Hour Challenges

  • Snow Study!
  • Red and Green Outdoor Hour Challenge
  • Moon and Moon Names
  • Study on Magnets and the Compass

And more challenges from all of the courses pictured above!

There are so many simple ways to study nature in your homeschool this winter! From nature walks to indoor studies, use this guide as a starting point for making memories together.

Get Your Free Sample Of Membership: Winter Homeschool Nature Study Download

Get Your Membership Sample of Winter Homeschool Nature Study!

Subscribe to get FREE Membership Sample of Winter Homeschool Nature Study.

    We won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    Most importantly, when you get outside for your winter homeschool nature study, take along a good attitude and leave yourself open to whatever the experience brings. Allow your children to direct you to things they find interesting and then share in their excitement.

    Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.

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    Nature Study Crafts For Kids: Easy Activities For Learning And Fun!

    Nature study crafts for kids are a hands on way to learn. What beautiful and easy activities for learning and FUN! Let us show you how.

    Nature study crafts for kids are a hands on way to learn. What beautiful and easy activities for learning and FUN! Let us show you how.

    Nature Study For Kids

    There is such value in adding nature study! Getting outside for a walk may be one of the most refreshing activities you could do with your children. Not only will you be learning about the beautiful creation in your very own backyard but you will be building lasting memories together.

    And, gathering supplies from your yard makes doing a nature craft together even more fun! Spend a little bit of time outdoors then come inside and create. You could even stay outdoors and be crafty on a nice day.

    Nature study crafts for kids are a hands on way to learn. What beautiful and easy activities for learning and FUN! Let us show you how.

    Nature Study Craft Activities For Learning and Fun

    Using our nature craft activities makes nature study easy on mom because our craft artist, Victoria, leads you and your students, step by step. Victoria grew up participating in the Outdoor Hour Challenges with her family. Nature has always inspired her work, right from when she was young. She, along with her sister, would go on weekly nature walks following lessons from the Handbook of Nature Study to learn about the beauty of our natural world. She has found through years of nature study that the slow and simple process of painting and being surrounded by nature has become her form of escapism from such a fast paced and material world.

    Each craft activity is seasonal and matches what you are already studying in your homeschool. Plus, nature crafts are just so much fun!

    Here are a few examples of the nature study craft activities you can enjoy in Homeschool Nature Study membership!

    Nature study crafts for kids are a hands on way to learn. What beautiful and easy activities for learning and FUN! Let us show you how.

    Ice Nature Art

    Ice art incorporating foraged berries, leaves, cones or whatever else you find in nature makes for a beautiful garden decoration…even of it only lasts a few hours.

    How to Make Forage Fairies

    This homeschool nature craft makes it so much fun to get outdoors and forage for your supplies.

    How to Make a Leaf Mask

    You will love making a nature craft with leaves! We will be making these gorgeous leaf masks with only a handful of supplies. Let your creativity go wild with these masks!

    Other nature study crafts include:

    • Last Days of Summer Wreath
    • Flower Hammered Note Cards
    • How to Make a Pouch for Your Nature Journal
    • Pressed Flower Vase

    With even MORE nature study crafts for Homeschool Nature Study members!

    Nature study crafts for kids are a hands on way to learn. What beautiful and easy activities for learning and FUN! Let us show you how.

    More Resources For Nature Study In Your Homeschool

    We love the nature crafts Victoria shares! And, did you know that Victoria’s mother, Shirley Vels, is your Outdoor Hour Challenge hostess? Not only does Shirley share your weekly Outdoor Hour Challenge, she also encourages fellow homeschool moms with her monthly Outdoor Mom lessons in membership as well!

    Find out more about the Outdoor Mom encouragement and prompts in The Joy of Nature Study in Your Homeschool Year.

    If you are not a Homeschool Nature Study membership yet, please consider joining to gain the benefit of having a nature study library at your fingertips. There are numerous resources available for you to help create the habit of nature study within your family.

    nature membership for your homeschool

    Members also enjoy access to:

    • Weekly Outdoor Hour Challenges to bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool!
    • the annual nature study plans
    • matching courses with materials and journaling pages
    • interactive calendar with daily nature study prompts
    • Nature Journaling course
    • and MUCH more!

    Members of Homeschool Nature Study enjoy access to both the Nature Crafts course AND Outdoor Mom plus more exclusive courses and content.

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.

    November 2022, updated October 2025

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    Make a Weed Bouquet: A Beautiful Fall Homeschool Activity

    In my eyes, my autumn weed bouquet is as pretty as any flower shop bunch of roses. Invite your children to gather some of your autumn weeds to be indoors as part of your nature display.

    Bring the outdoors into your homeschool with this simple nature study activity—creating a weed bouquet! A hands-on project sure to spark joy.

    Sitting on my desk is a small vase of flowers I collected a few weeks ago. Although they’re all dried up now, they are a fond reminder of an afternoon spent walking and collecting a few blooming things with my daughter.

    This inspires me to share an idea with you readers. Why not go out on a crisp autumn day and collect a few flowers, weeds, and grasses from your neighborhood to enjoy in a vase?

    A Beautiful Fall Homeschool Activity

    My husband and I debate about the definition of a weed, an on-going discussion in our family. I say a weed is something growing where you don’t want it to grow, like in a flower or vegetable garden or in the middle of your manicured lawn. But, if the plant is growing, like most of those in our yard, in a natural landscape, I try to leave it as part of the habitat.

    Bring the outdoors into your homeschool with this simple nature study activity—creating a weed bouquet! A hands-on project sure to spark joy.

    How To Make a Weed Bouquet

    Take the opportunity to cut some of the fall weeds for a bouquet to have indoors. You and your children can create a bouquet that makes you happy. Once again, it is a matter of perspective in determining whether a plant is a weed or something amazing to look at as part of your fall homeschool nature studies in a vase.

    Please feel free to use this idea as an alternate study to any of the autumn wildflower studies.

    More Fall Nature Study Craft Ideas

    • Autumn is finally upon us with all its rust, orange and golden glory, so it’s the best time to make these pumpkin pixie houses. With yellowing leaves, ripening apples and pumpkins galore, what better way to celebrate the new season than with an adorable new nature craft. Enjoy this fabulous new craft for our members – led by Victoria Vels! Join Homeschool Nature Study membership today!

    Homeschool Nature Study Membership

    Join us for even more homeschool nature studies for all the seasons! With a nature study each week, you will have joyful learning leading all the way through the homeschool year for all your ages!

    Not yet a Homeschool Nature Study Member? We’d love for you to join us and take advantage of the numerous studies – already planned out for you, craft ideas, free worksheets, and #outdoorhourchallenge fun! Become a member and bring the love of learning nature and science easily into your home.

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    -First published by Barb October 2020. Updated September 2025 by Tricia.

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    Learning About Bird Migration with Project Feederwatch

    Learn about bird migration with Project Feederwatch and grow to know the birds that frequent your own backyard. Nature study ideas for kids of all ages!

    I am learning about bird migration with Project Feederwatch. I am fascinated by birds that migrate. It makes me feel an awe for such creatures and the way they travel up to thousands of miles as the seasons change. When I lived in California, I was aware of birds and the way they would come and go at my feeders season by season. I could anticipate their arrival and then have a fairly good idea of who would be leaving at the turn of the weather.

    Learn about bird migration with Project Feederwatch and grow to know the birds that frequent your own backyard. Nature study ideas for kids of all ages!

    Learning About Bird Migration with Project Feederwatch

    Project Feederwatch each year made me keenly aware that the birds at my feeders were not the same year round. Check out the details at their website, here.

    thistle feeder

    I am getting ready to participate in my first year of Project Feederwatch here in my new home. I have updated my account and created a new description of the feeders and their locations and types. Watching birds is an everyday affair here from my kitchen and family room windows so Project Feederwatch is a perfect match for our lifestyle.

    Citizen Science Projects In Your Homeschool

    I enjoy participating in a citizen science project that helps gather data for those involved in various bird science projects and studies. Plus, it is something that refreshes me and brings a lot of joy to my life. It is something that I can participate in that doesn’t take a huge commitment of time and I can do it right from my own home, even if I am wearing my pajamas.

    snag pile for shelter

    This is our first autumn and winter here in our new home so we are still experimenting with various feeder types and the placement within the yard. I had an idea to add a brush pile just outside our back fence after we trimmed some tree limbs. So far I have observed birds and squirrels investigating the jumble of limbs with their needles and cones still intact. It isn’t too far from my cluster of feeders so it will provide some shelter for birds once the snow arrives.

    bluejay figurine

    I started right after we moved in creating a list of bird visitors to our yard. I will be keeping that habit going right on through the next few seasons. This should give us a pretty good idea of the migrant visitors as they pass through or stay for awhile. This is a simple way to get your family started with a more in-depth bird study and I encourage you to keep track of the birds that come to your feeders. It may just make you more aware of bird migration!

    sandhill crane bird

    We recently had the experience of hearing and then seeing a group of sandhill cranes fly over our yard. It was about sunset when my son and I were out doing yardwork. I heard in the distance what at first I thought were geese coming overhead. But, it was a strange and unfamiliar sound and not geese at all. (Click over to AllAboutBirds to hear what it sounded like.)

    My son spoke up when he realized it was the sound of sandhill cranes. He had heard them before when we lived in California and immediately recognized the rattling loud commotion of a group of cranes flying south over our house. It was exciting to experience this for the first time and I have since done some research into the migration habits of the sandhill crane. Knowing how far they fly has given me such an awe for these large birds. I followed up that time and created a page in my nature journal with this information.

    The opportunity to study birds can present itself when you least expect it…look for those opportunities!

    Make sure to learn about the Feederwatch program and decide if it is a good fit for your family!

     

    Project Feederwatch button

    More Resources for Learning About Birds

    Bird Sleuth button
    There is a wealth of birding information on the internet but I have not found a more homeschool-friendly site than the ones sponsored by Cornell University. I would love to encourage you all to subscribe to their homeschool blog (click the logo above to pop over there now).

    You can also follow them on Facebook .
    You can download homeschooling resources here.
    Of course, my favorite resource is their AllAboutBirds website which is a great tool for identifying and learning more about birds in your own neighborhood.

    Birdcast gives you live updates on bird migration! Fascinating to follow! Thanks to Carol for sending this resource.

    Hummingbirds are such fun ones to keep track of migration! Enjoy these Hummingbird Nature Activities for Kids!

    Birds are such a joy to learn about. Here are some more bird nature studies you can enjoy!

    Homeschool Nature Study Membership

    Join us for even more homeschool nature studies for all the seasons! With a nature study each week, you will have joyful learning leading all the way through the homeschool year for all your ages!

    Not yet a Homeschool Nature Study Member? We’d love for you to join us and take advantage of the numerous studies – already planned out for you, craft ideas, free worksheets, and #outdoorhourchallenge fun! Become a member and bring the love of learning nature and science easily into your home.

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    -First published by Barb October 2017. Updated September 2025 by Tricia.

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    October Nature Study Activities For Children Of All Ages

    October can often be the most mild and inviting time to be outdoors! The mornings are cool, the sunshine abundant, and the afternoons offer the perfect invitation to take a walk crunching the leaves under the foot. I hope your month is full of sunshine and outdoor walks too with these engaging October nature studies.

    October Nature Study Activities

    October can often be the most mild and inviting time to be outdoors! The mornings are cool, the sunshine abundant, and the afternoons offer the perfect invitation to take a walk crunching the leaves under the foot. I hope your month is full of sunshine and nature walks too.

    photo by Amy Law

    Outdoor Nature Study Plans with the Outdoor Hour Challenges

    • Autumn Favorites Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum
    • Autumn Curriculum
    • Fall leaf study grid
    • Signs of autumn study
    • Under the fallen leaves autumn fun
    • Fall color walk with printable color cards
    • Swallows and swifts and learning about bird migration
    • Goose

    • Turkeys
    • Horses
    • Salmon and trout
    • Seasonal tree study
    • Apples and how they grow
    • How to start a field notebook
    • Autumn weather and changes in your own backyard

    The October Outdoor Mom

    Anne reveled in the world of color about her. What is this? “Oh Marilla”, she exclaimed one Saturday morning, coming dancing in with her arms full of gorgeous boughs, “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It would be terrible if we just skipped from September to November, wouldn’t it”?

    Anne of Green Gables

    Your Outdoor Hour Challenge hostess, Shirley Vels, shares lovely prompts just for mom in The Outdoor Mom course for annual members: I’m sure most of us resonate with Anne and her love for October. There is no doubt in my mind that October is my favourite time of the year!

    The smell of woodsmoke in the air, the gentle mists that gather each morning as the sun pops its face over the horizon, the chill that makes soft clouds form as you speak, the splendour of the autumnal trees and the golden light that seems unique to this time of the year filtering through the golden tree tops and painting beautiful dappled shadows on the ground is all simply quite heavenly!

    Autumn Fern Nature Journal Entry

    Nature Journaling Video on Ferns: Nature Crafts

    Your nature illustrator, Victoria Vels, shares a beautiful fern nature journal entry. Follow along as she shares her process in a step-by-step video in the Nature Crafts course for annual Homeschool Nature Study members. Autumn is here with all its vibrant colour changes, so it’s time to document the beauty with this fern themed autumn nature journal entry. Follow along with me as I create this autumnal spread, experimenting with colours and painting techniques. Gather up your specimens, literature and facts and lets get started!

    Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenges for Pumpkins and Apples

    All the apples and pumpkins for nature study fun! When the air turns cooler and the leaves start to change color, it is always fun to learn more about apples and pumpkins! Enjoy this ultimate guide of fun apple and pumpkin nature study ideas for your homeschool.

    New for Homeschool Nature Study members: apple printables, apple observations, apple taste test plus visiting a pumpkin farm and more!

    Fall Leaf Study

    There are leaf nature studies to fill an entire week! Go on a fall leaf tour!

    Fall Color for Preschoolers

    A really great thing about fall is that it is a great time to get outdoors with the kids and explore nature. With that being said, here are some great fall nature study ideas for toddlers and preschoolers that I hope you (and your little ones) will enjoy.

    Autumn Outdoor Hour Curriculum

    More Fall Nature Study for Your Homeschool

    Homeschool Nature Study Activities for Every Month of the Year!

    Check out all we have for our members for each month:

    October can often be the most mild and inviting time to be outdoors! The mornings are cool, the sunshine abundant, and the afternoons offer the perfect invitation to take a walk crunching the leaves under the foot. I hope your month is full of sunshine and nature walks too.

    The Outdoor Hour Challenges Bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

    For even more homeschool nature study ideas for all seasons, join us in Homeschool Nature Study membership! You’ll receive new ideas each and every week that require little or no prep – all bringing the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool!

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.

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    Preschool Nature Hike: I Spy Fungi

    Fall is the perfect time of year to go on a I Spy Fungi: Preschool Nature Hike. It's fun to observe the different colors, shapes, and locations of fungi.

    When we think of fall we often picture pumpkins, hay rides, apples, and changing leaves. But it is also the perfect time of year to go on a I Spy Fungi: Preschool Nature Hike.

    We didn’t set out to have a fungi nature hunt but it turned into that once we noticed how many different types of mushrooms we were seeing on our walk.

    Fall is the perfect time of year to go on a I Spy Fungi: Preschool Nature Hike. It's fun to observe the different colors, shapes, and locations of fungi.

    I Spy Fungi: Preschool Nature Hike

    There’s something about fungi that is gross and cool at the same time! While we were walking through the woods, we came across several different types of fungi. With my preschool children, we observed the different colors, shapes, and locations of fungi.

    slug on mushroom

    We even found a slug on fungi. That got us thinking– why would a slug want to be on fungi? (Moisture was our guess.)

    Slime and mushrooms– what was the connection? Was it part of the mushroom or was it left from an animal? Those were some of the “I Wonders” that we came up with while on our hike.

    We also talked about how some mushrooms are safe to eat but others are not — and we just observe mushrooms with our eyes not our hands.

    Fall is the perfect time of year to go on a I Spy Fungi: Preschool Nature Hike. It's fun to observe the different colors, shapes, and locations of fungi.

    We observed a variety of fungi on our nature walk and had some great discussions about what we saw.

    So head out on your own I Spy Fungi hunt! Bring a camera or sketchbook and capture what you find. I’d love to see your photos! Be sure to tag us on Instagram or Facebook.

    Fall is the perfect time of year to go on a I Spy Fungi: Preschool Nature Hike. It's fun to observe the different colors, shapes, and locations of fungi.

    More Resources for Your Homeschool

    There are 25+ continuing courses with matching Outdoor Hour curriculum that will bring the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool! In addition, there is an interactive monthly calendar with daily nature study prompt – all at your fingertips!

    Join us for even more homeschool nature studies for all the seasons! With a new nature study each week, you will have joyful learning leading all the way through the homeschool year for all your ages!

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    By Maureen Spell, a long-time contributor to the Outdoor Hour Challenges. Maureen helps Christian mompreneurs operate their business from a place of joy, purpose, and excellence because they are clear on how their business is serving their family and others. As a homeschool mom, she believes success at home AND business without the mom-guilt, stress and burn-out is possible! Outside of work, she loves having good conversations over a hot chai or GT Gingerberry kombucha and spending time with her husband and seven children. Visit her at MaureenSpell.com

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    September Nature Study Activities: Signs Of Fall

    Are you looking for ideas for some simple fall nature study ideas? Enjoy these ideas and pick those that get you excited to be outdoors this season with your children.

    Enjoy these activities for your September nature study. Get excited to be outdoors this fall with your children!

    photo by Amy Law

    Signs of Fall September Nature Study Activities

    You may wish to make a note in your planner to accomplish several of these ideas for the next few months.

    Some fall signs to look for:

    • Dry grass and weeds
    • Seeds
    • Wildflowers-thistles, goldenrod
    • Birds eating at feeders or flying overhead to migrate
    • Chilly morning temperatures or dew on the grass
    • Fruit ripe on trees
    • Insects or webs
    • Nuts, acorns, or berries
    • Clouds and wind

    “The free open air is the best background for all work in nature study. The conventionalities of the schoolroom fall away. The artificial distance between teacher and pupil disappears, and as friend to friend the group talks. It is this that makes work in nature study at its best so delightful.

    The wealth of material is very great, and the suggestions that come from things in their proper places are much more abounding than those that arise in the artificial conditions of the school room.”

    Excerpt from The Study of Nature – by Samuel Christian Schmucker. 1908.
    September nature study activities with The Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenges

    September Nature Study Plans with the Outdoor Hour Challenges

    Each year we have a new focus with The Handbook of Nature Study curriculum plans. Here is a sampling of topics from this year and others:

    Enjoy Fall Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study

    • Autumn Favorites Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum
    • Autumn Curriculum
    • Fall leaf study grid
    • Signs of autumn study
    • Under the fallen leaves autumn fun
    • Fall color walk with printable color cards
    • Swallows and swifts and learning about bird migration
    • Goose
    • Apples and how they grow
    • How to start a field notebook
    • Autumn weather and changes in your own backyard
    Fall Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum with The Handbook of Nature Study
    • Pumpkin farm notebook page
    • Bat study
    • The hawk
    • Autumn night sky studies
    • Pigs
    • Bracket fungi and stinkhorns
    • Squirrels
    • Horses
    • Turkey
    • Maple, ash, hemlock, staghorn sumac and oak trees
    • Belted Kingfisher bird study
    • Lizards, anoles and geckos
    • Autumn flowers

    and SO much more!

    Fall Nature Crafts for Homeschool Families

    Autumn is finally upon us with all its rust, orange and golden glory, so it’s the best time to make these pumpkin pixie houses. With yellowing leaves, ripening apples and pumpkins galore, what better way to celebrate the new season than with an adorable new nature craft.

    Enjoy this fabulous new craft for our annual members – led by Victoria Vels! Join Homeschool Nature Study membership today!

    Start a Year Long Nature Study

    For families that are completing yearlong studies as part of their nature study plan, you’ll find ideas for subjects in out Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum as well. You can start now in fall and make observations over the next year of your chosen topic. Our family has greatly benefited from following a subject over the course of a complete year, making seasonal observations as we go.

    Here are some ideas from year-long nature study topics we’ve done in the past:

    • Year-Long Big Dipper Study
    • Seasonal Cattail Study
    • Seasonal Milkweed Study
    • Year-Long Pond Study
    • Year-Long Queen Anne’s Lace Study
    • Seasonal Autumn Tree Study
    • Year-Long Tree Study – something different
    • Year-Long Thistle Study
    • Teasel Study – start a year-long teasel study
    • Autumn Weather Study – printable notebook page in membership
    • Year-Long Burdock Study
    fall nature studies

    The Joys of Fall Homeschool Nature Study Activities

    Fall in love with nature study in your homeschool! Here are more ideas for you and your family to enjoy this season.

    We have Outdoor Hour Challenge Homeschool Nature Study Curriculum filled with weeks of fall nature study plans! You can also take a look at this sampling of the resources we have for you to enjoy simple, fall homeschool nature study in your own backyard.

    • Seasonal Tree Observations Outdoor Hour Challenge
    • Fall Color Walk with Printable Color Cards in membership (great for your youngest adventurers)
    • How to Make Leaf Rubbings (video)
    • Tips for Drawing Leaves
    • Learn Why Leaves Change Color
    • Preschool fall nature studies
    • Advanced studies on the chemistry of leaves
    • Seasonal Favorites: apples, pumpkins, bats, turkeys and more!
    Enjoy these activities for your September nature study. Get excited to be outdoors this fall with your children!

    The Outdoor Hour Challenges Bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

    For even more homeschool nature study ideas for all seasons, join us in Homeschool Nature Study membership! You’ll receive new ideas each and every week that require little or no prep – all bringing the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool!

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    Find Nature Study Activities for each month of the year!

    Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.

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    Nature Study For Teens: Overcoming boredom and resistance

    Nature study for teens can be just as engaging and educational, but it does require an age appropriate approach to learning.

    Nature study for teens can be just as engaging and educational, but it does require an age appropriate approach to learning. Here’s what has worked for us.

    Nature study for teens can be just as engaging and educational, but it does require an age appropriate approach to learning.

    “Some children are born naturalists, but even those who aren’t were born with natural curiosity about the world and should be encouraged to observe nature.”
    Charlotte Mason, vol 2 page 58

    “They get so used to reading about marvels of nature and never seeing it for themselves that nothing interests them. The way to cure this is to let them alone for awhile and then start something totally different. It’s not the children’s fault that nature bores them; they are naturally curious and eager to explore the world and everything in it. There’s a poem that says that the person who can best appreciate God is the one who is familiar with the natural world He made.”
    Charlotte Mason, vol 2 page 6

    Nature study for teens can be just as engaging and educational, but it does require an age appropriate approach to learning.

    Nature Study and Teens

    Sometimes, despite all my efforts, my boys just are not as interested in nature study as I am. I can take them to the most fascinating places to explore and they just want to sit and talk or take a walk by themselves. The setting is perfect and the subjects abound but they are more interested in throwing rocks or digging a hole.

    I can’t force them to be interested when this happens.

    What To Do If Your Teens Are Bored in Nature

    How have we learned to handle this? I allow them the space and time to experience nature on their own terms.

    It may look like they are not taking much interest but later on when we are driving in the car or talking at the dinner table, they relate things that they noticed as they had a little freedom.

    They learned a lot about the properties of bullwhip seaweed as they tried to use it to tie the driftwood together for this beach structure.

    They experienced the redwood forest on their own terms as they searched out Big Foot beyond every bend in the trail.

    On every beach they made circles in the sand. It became a tradition.

    Nature study does not always go according to my plan. I have learned to keep my options open and let things happen as the day unfolds. Honestly, I learn more as well because they most likely will find something that I wouldn’t because they have their own eyes. My eyes see one thing and they see something completely different if I allow them the space and time to find what interests them in our nature study.

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    Monthly Nature Journal Activities For Your Homeschool

    Monthly nature journal activities take your outdoor experiences, your thoughts, new ideas or facts, and make them tangible. Here are some ideas to get you started nature journaling.

    Monthly nature journal activities take your outdoor experiences, your thoughts, new ideas or facts, and make them tangible. Here are some ideas to get you started nature journaling.
    Photos by Amy Law

    The Value Of Nature Journaling In Your Homeschool

    Paging through the completed journals gives such a sense of accomplishment, each page a nugget of learning from your nature study.

    This time of year is an opportunity to reflect on our goals and habits. I don’t know about you but one thing that has been a little neglected over the last year is my nature journal.

    Monthly Projects For Nature Journaling

    Our Homeschool Nature Study members will receive new nature journal activities each month! I jotted down a list of journal ideas for each month of the year. Creating a  page a month will be a simple and reachable goal and I hope it will help you and your family to complete a few pages too.

    Monthly nature journal activities take your outdoor experiences, your thoughts, new ideas or facts, and make them tangible. Here are some ideas to get you started nature journaling.

    Homeschool Nature Journal Supplies Needed?

    Let’s keep it simple. Pull your nature journal off the shelf or out of your backpack and take a look at what you have done so far and decide if your journal choice is inspiring you or hindering you.

    Or, if you are new to nature journaling, take a trip to the office supply store and look over your journal choices. It is important to like the feel and size of your journal. I like to use sketchbooks but some people like to use fancier journals.

    Here are a couple I have used in the past and really liked. They lie flat, are spiral bound, and they hold up to just about any medium I want to use (including watercolor with varying results).

    Some links may be affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

    Nature Journals

    The point is not to get hung up on choosing a journal but just pick one and get started!

    Monthly nature journal activities take your outdoor experiences, your thoughts, new ideas or facts, and make them tangible. Here are some ideas to get you started nature journaling.

    Art Supplies for Writing and Sketching

    I use a variety of things to write in my journal.

    • If you have a good black pen you like pull that out and keep it with your journal.
    • Gel pens
    • Prismacolor markers and Prismacolor watercolor pencils round out my nature journal writing and sketching choices.
    • Don’t forget a good old No. 2 pencil is always handy for making quick sketches in your journal.

    Other Journaling Supplies

    Other items that may be helpful for your nature journal activities include a small ruler, a jar lid for making circles, double sided tape to adhere items in your nature journal, a pencil sharpener, and a small cup and paint brush for working with watercolor pencils.

    More Encouragement

    Handbook of Nature Study nature journaling

    Nature Journal Series Overview By Month

    The first months of nature journal activities is ready for Homeschool Nature Study members in the Nature Journaling course in membership. This will give members the rest of the month to spend some time outdoors as part of the Outdoor Hour Challenge or other family activity and then create a journal using the suggestion.

    Each lesson is filled with ideas and how tos for your family:

    • June – Sketch Outside
    • July – Using Your 5 Senses

    More nature journal activities coming for members each month!

    Monthly Nature Journal Activities For Your Homeschool

    Share Your Nature Journals!

    Share a photo of your nature journal and tag us on social media @outdoorhourchallenge Join us in continuing this fun Nature Journal Project started by our founder, Barb McCoy!

    Browse examples by others on this Nature Journal Pinterest board.

    Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.

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    Mega List of August Summer Walk and Nature Study Activities

    Take advantage of August and enjoy summer nature walks with these ideas! Taking nature walks can be as simple as putting on your shoes and heading out the door, letting nature inspire what you do and what you study. Or, you can have a few ideas in mind before you head out the door.

    Take advantage of August summer nature walks and nature study in your homeschool! Let nature inspire what you study.

    August Summer Walk Ideas and Nature Study Activities

    Simply take a nature walk at a nearby meadow or stream. Pick a theme for the walk such as insects, birds, trees, flowers, etc. Then have everyone make observations within that theme.

    In my experience, having a focus during a walk makes it much more enjoyable for everyone. Each person can use their eyes and senses to look for items within the theme and then share them with the group.

    One person can be the designated photographer and take photos of things of interest. Or, take along your nature journal and make a record of your sightings as you go along.

    Take advantage of August summer nature walks and nature study in your homeschool! Let nature inspire what you study.

    Late Summer Nature Study Ideas

    I realized over time that we didn’t need to travel far to find places to go on short notice or even for a half day’s hike. I loved being able to roll out of bed, decide to go on a hike, and be out the door in a short period of time. So, how did I overcome the dilemma of finding places to hike near our home? Read More about Finding Hikes Near Home

    Taking a Nature Walk – The idea of taking a nature walk is nothing new. However, the need for nature walks has never been more evident in our increasingly indoor, sedentary lives. Childhood used to be times of exploring outdoors for hours at a time, but in today’s world few children have the circumstances or incentive to get outside on their own. This is where involved parents can be of such value.

    “Time in nature is not leisure time; it’s an essential investment in our children’s health (and also, by the way, in our own).”

    ― Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

    Using the Handbook of Nature Study in Your Homeschool

    Need help getting started? Enjoy Amy’s Six Tips for Using The Handbook of Nature Study! (also in the caption of the video, above)

    Be sure to fit in some sweet, nighttime summer nature studies. Find an Ultimate Guide to Nighttime Summer Nature Studies HERE.

    queen anne's lace nature study

    August Nature Study Plans with the Outdoor Hour Challenges

    Each year we have a new focus with The Handbook of Nature Study curriculum plans. Here is a sampling of topics from this year and others:

    • Queen Anne’s lace
    • Crickets/Grasshoppers
    • Evening Primrose
    • Raccoons/skunks
    August Homeschool Nature Studies for the Outdoor Hour Challenge
    • Pressing flowers
    • Drawing flowers
    • Learning leaf parts
    • Looking for pollen
    • Night sky
    • Nature journaling
    • Nature study with art and music appreciation

    You can choose from these topics and any in all of our Handbook of Nature Study courses! You can follow our plan or choose topics that match your current studies. Our nature studies complement the lovely learning in your homeschool!

    fall homeschool nature study activities

    Look Ahead with Fall Homeschool Nature Study Activities

    Enjoy a last days of summer homeschool nature study free notebook page. Let’s soak up these last sunny and glorious days, have fun and make memories together as a family. Get your FREE notebook page/Scavenger Hunt HERE. (Homeschool Nature Study members already have this page in your Summer Outdoor Hour Curriculum course. Not yet a member? You can download the notebook page and sample the Outdoor Hour Challenges!)

    It is at this time of the year that we also look forward to autumn nature study and all the joys of nature study for your homeschool year.

    The Ultimate Guide to Fall Homeschool Nature Study In Your Own Backyard – The benefits of fall nature study seem to be endless! The most important of all is making memories together as a family. The crisp, cooler air and the brilliant blue sky (on sunny days) highlight all of the fall leaf color for us. Being outside does wonders for moods. And having an outdoor ‘laboratory’ for discovery is as simple as swinging open your backdoor.

    Enjoy Nature Crafts (fun teasel pets!) plus The Outdoor Mom series in Homeschool Nature Study membership!

    Fall Nature Study Lesson Plans

    We have Outdoor Hour Challenge Homeschool Nature Study Curriculum filled with weeks of fall nature study plans! You can also take a look at this sampling of the resources we have for you to enjoy simple, fall homeschool nature study in your own backyard.

    • Seasonal Tree Observations Outdoor Hour Challenge
    • Fall Color Walk with Printable Color Cards in membership (great for your youngest adventurers)
    • How to Make Leaf Rubbings (video)
    • Tips for Drawing Leaves
    • Learn Why Leaves Change Color
    • Advanced studies on the chemistry of leaves
    • Seasonal Favorites: apples, pumpkins, bats, turkeys and more!
    Take advantage of August and enjoy summer nature walks with these ideas! Talking nature walks can be as simple as putting on your shoes and heading out the door, letting nature inspire what you do and what you study. Or, you can have a few ideas in mind before you head out the door.

    The Outdoor Hour Challenges Bring The Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool!

    For even more homeschool nature study ideas for all seasons, join us in Homeschool Nature Study membership! You’ll receive new ideas each and every week that require little or no prep – all bringing the Handbook of Nature Study to life in your homeschool!

    Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

    Find Nature Study Activities for each month of the year!

    Tricia and her family fell in love with the Handbook of Nature Study and the accompanying Outdoor Hour Challenges early in their homeschooling. The simplicity and ease of the weekly outdoor hour challenges brought joy to their homeschool and opened their eyes to the world right out their own back door! She shares the art and heart of homeschooling at You ARE an ARTiST and Your Best Homeschool plus her favorite curricula at The Curriculum Choice.