Category: garden

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Creating an Edible Garden: Gardening with Children

Creating an edible garden can make even the fussiest of kids happier! Tips for kids helping to grow edibles in the garden.

I think I forgot the sounds that come in open windows in the mornings and evenings. Winter requires the house to be shut up too much but with open windows I woke this morning to a an owl hooting in the neighbor’s tree.

“I’m awake! You Too!” he was calling.

What a great sound and it makes me wonder what all I have been missing closed up in the house for the winter.

This evening I am hearing crickets for the first time and the call of the tree frogs from across the street. It makes me happy to think we have reached the point where we can have open windows and doors to bring a little of nature back into our house. The mosquitoes are buzzing tonight too….found one in my bedroom and had to give him a swat. Now that I could do without.

4 30 11 Lilac

We are busy working on weeding the garden walkways and preparing beds for seeds. This is a joyful, hopeful time. Our Garden and Garden Flowers Outdoor Hour Challenge courses include choosing and planting flower seeds and I thought our family might include that as part of our first challenge for the month of May. (With membership, you will have that challenge and corresponding notebook pages to go along with it.) There is much to learn about seeds as well.

Creating an Edible Garden: Gardening with Children

In the meantime, I thought I could share a little of the edibles in our garden landscaping. We try to mix edible plants with our flowers so we can harvest a little homegrown yummy-ness when the time comes.  It also is such a treat to have a little handful of something each afternoon when we are outside…a couple of blueberries, a strawberry, or a grape popped in the mouth make even the fussiest of kids happier when they are helping to work in the garden. (You can read more of my tips for nature study and gardening with very young children).

4 18 11 Blueberries

The blueberry bushes really are not all that happy looking. They are all covered in fresh green leaves but I am needing to read up on what a blueberry needs to really get established. I seem to remember something about how they like a pine needle mulch.

4 18 11 Strawberry blossoms

Crop Plant: Growing Strawberries in Your Edible Garden

Mr. A’s strawberries are looking incredible and there are dozens of blossoms and little baby strawberries filling the box. These are an easy crop to get started and we purchased ever-bearing and June bearing plants so we will have a longer harvest. (There is a challenge for strawberries if you are interested.)

4 18 11 Pear Blossoms

Pears Nature Study

We were very surprised to see so many blossoms on the pear tree this year. We had pruned it way back to keep it out of the neighbor’s yard and this seems to have been agreeable to the tree. We might get a dozen pears this year….well, we can hope for that.

4 28 11 Garden birdfeeder figs
Figs….does anyone really like figs? This tree was here when we moved in 25 years ago and we have tried to cut it down several times, just to have it grow back more lush than ever. We have finally come to grips with it and we share the fruits with those in our lives who enjoy them. The birds like them too so I guess it is worth the mess.

4 28 11 Garden birdfeeder  with tomato and grapes

Crop Plant: Tomato Nature Study in Your Edible Garden

Tomato in a pot to cover the ugly stump….sounds like a good idea and if it doesn’t do well we can always move it. We also have seedless grapes planted there on the fence to shield the ugly propane tank from view when we are sitting on the back deck. They vines get so green and climb all over, producing little sweet bites to nibble when I am out in the back watering in the hot summer sun. (There is a challenge for tomatoes if you are interested.) Do you have a place for a tomato in a pot?

Bat in house 5 11 (1)

Bats Nature Study

Another reminder to us: Keep the back door closed in the evenings. This bat made its way INTO the house last week. The cat may have brought it inside but we aren’t entirely sure. We had a comedy act going on trying to get it to fly back outside. My boys ran and got the butterfly net and we were able to get him in the corner and inside the net.

He really calmed down and just hung in the net long enough for us to get a good look at him. We released him outside and he fly away so gracefully. (There is a challenge for bats if you are interested.)

We are ready to start doing some nature study and the boys have been discussing what subjects we will study for the month as part of the new format of the Outdoor Hour Challenge. Don’t forget you can pick from any of the topics: wildflowers, garden flowers, birds, and/or mammals. You can chose one from each category or stick with one topic and study four of them in a row. Please feel free to make the challenges work and build on interest you find with your children.

Gardening Projects for Kids is more than a "how to" garden book. It encourages a gardening way of life – in your backyard working and playing together.

More Homeschool Garden Activities to Enjoy!

Homeschool Garden Activities for May Nature Studies – These homeschool garden activities are perfect for your May nature studies. Includes outdoor activities and gardening tips for kids.

Gardening Projects for Kids – Gardening Projects for Kids by Whitney Cohen and John Fisher is much more than a “how to” garden book. It is more than suggestions for getting started with gardening with your children. It is in fact a book that encourages a gardening way of life..spending lots of time with your children in the outdoors in your backyard working and playing together. I love this message found throughout the book.

100+ Ideas to Use in Creating a Backyard Habitat – Here are 100+ ideas to use in creating your backyard habitat! This list is for all of us to use in creating a backyard habitat designed to attract birds, bees, and butterflies. I’ve heard from so many of my readers that they think their backyard space is boring or nothing out of the ordinary.

How to Create a Winter Garden with Shelter for Wildlife – Here are a few of the ways we keep our yard as a wildlife habitat in winter. We have structured our garden to help encourage wildlife to visit all year long. Create a Winter Garden and add shelter for wildlife with these easy and effective resources and tips.

The Ultimate List of Garden and Wildflowers Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenges – You can enjoy a simple garden and wildflowers homeschool nature study with these resources we have gathered for you to use in your own backyard. It is such a delight to study and learn about a garden and the beauty of wildflowers!

Planting a Rainbow Book Activities: Flower Craft and Nature Game – This book is a fun way to introduce children to gardening. Each page has vibrant illustrations of bulbs and flowers. Children can see how different plants and flowers come in all different colors—-all the colors of the rainbow.

How to Make a Wagon Garden – such a fun way to make container gardens around book themes!

Best Tips for Starting Seeds for a Flower Garden – Growing plants from seeds is easy! Here are the best tips for starting seeds for a flower garden. If you are new to gardening and need some tips, I will give you some step-by-step instructions.

Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Can you believe all of these spring homeschool resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing homeschool nature study series plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. 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!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership HERE!

We have quite a few new participants in the Outdoor Hour Challenges so I want to give a big welcome to everyone!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Outdoor Hour Challenge by founder, Barbara McCoy, September 2009. Updated by Tricia April 2025. 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. She and her husband, Steve, are also publishers of Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett.

Enjoy your week!

By Barb McCoy, May 2011

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Gardening Projects for Kids – Growing Your Own Little Gardener

Gardening Projects for Kids is more than a "how to" garden book. It encourages a gardening way of life – in your backyard working and playing together.

Gardening Projects for Kids by Whitney Cohen and John Fisher is much more than a “how to” garden book. It is more than suggestions for getting started with gardening with your children. It is in fact a book that encourages a gardening way of life..spending lots of time with your children in the outdoors in your backyard working and playing together. I love this message found throughout the book.

Gardening Projects for Kids by Whitney Cohen and John Fisher is much more than a "how to" garden book. It is more than suggestions for getting started with gardening with your children. It is in fact a book that encourages a gardening way of life..spending lots of time with your children in the outdoors in your backyard working and playing together. I love this message found throughout the book.

It is exciting to find a resource that gathers many easy to use ideas, presents them in a way that is enjoyable to look at, and lights a fire inside me to get outside into our garden as soon as possible. This book does a great job at showing how ordinary families with ordinary kids can get outside and make memories that will last a lifetime. What a great supplement to the Outdoor Hour Challenges!

Gardening Projects for Kids – Growing Your Own Little Gardener

The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids: 101 Ways to Get Kids Outside, Dirty, and Having Fun

Want to get a glimpse into what this book has to offer? Here is a short video on YouTube!

Gardening is an important way to connect our children with nature. Gardening allows for casual talk about things we observe as we plant seeds, water seedlings, weed, and harvest the goodies from our garden beds. The Book of Gardening Projects for Kids is a visual feast for the eyes and will inspire you to make room for a garden in your yard. This delightful book is just so much fun to look at and paging through it I just can’t help but smile.

Don’t have a garden yet? Don’t worry! It is never too late to get started.

Backyard - Early Spring
I garden and my son takes a scooter break.
“Your joyful work in the garden is the most likely thing to encourage your kids to join in…..Simple role model gardening with a joyful attitude and an open mind, and your kids may find it contagious.”

Making Gardens Fun for Kids section 

Gardening is a time for them to work as well as to play. They can explore the garden while you do the garden chores. The book shows ways to incorporate play in your garden from the smallest toddler all the way up to teens. This book shows you how to “weave the garden into your everyday lives”.

 
The projects in this book are more than your average list of things you would expect. Here are a few that caught my eye and make me wish my children were much younger.
1. Solo Garden Ramble- You set up a trail of notes for your child and as they follow your directions on their own they are cued to do certain things in the garden like smell a flower, look for shades of green, hug a tree, etc. I love the idea of fostering independent exploration.
2. Making Dolls From Flowers- This would have been a huge hit with my daughter when she was younger.
3. Blindfolded Meander – You guide your blindfolded child through the garden encouraging them to use all their other senses.

There are many projects in the book that are appealing to me even now that the children are older.

1. Growing a Rainbow of Cut Flowers
2. Homemade Tea Bags
3. Making Your Garden a Certified Wildlife Habitat
4. Rock Plant Markers
5. Lots and lots of recipes using produce from your garden

 
garden box beginnings
Creating Their Own Garden Box – Always a Highlight Each Spring

Gardening Projects for Kids is a book that families will want to look at together as you pick a few things to add to your garden each year. I am keeping it with my garden reference books so when I am picking seeds and planning when to sow them, I can pull this book out and be reminded that we need to have fun in the garden too!

The summer is nearing its end but there are still plenty of warm days and sunshine to start enjoying your garden with your children.

A in the butterfly garden
Older children can design their own garden space.

I can’t share all the wonderful ideas in this review but here are the chapter titles to capture your interest.


1. Making Gardens Fun for Kids
2. Designing a Play-Friendly Family Garden
3. Digging in With Kids: Planning, Growing, Thriving
4. Pizza Pies and Pumpkin Jungles: Theme Gardens
5. Wings, Webs, and Whiskers: Animals in the Garden
6. Garden Adventures and Games
7. Art in the Garden: Fun Projects for All
8. Cooking from the Garden: Snacks, Meals, and Other Tasty Activities
9. Preserving the Harvest
10. Let the Festivities Begin: Garden Celebrations

There is something to learn from each chapter in this book…in fact, there are 101 ideas packed into the pages. Our family gives this book a huge thumbs up and we are excited to use a few of the ideas when we plan next year’s garden.

I received this book to review from Timber Press and no other compensation. As always, the opinions expressed in my reviews are my own and are a fair and honest account of my experience with the product.

Gardening Projects for Kids is more than a "how to" garden book. It encourages a gardening way of life – in your backyard working and playing together.

More Homeschool Garden Activities to Enjoy!

Homeschool Garden Activities for May Nature Studies – These homeschool garden activities are perfect for your May nature studies. Includes outdoor activities and gardening tips for kids.

How to Create a Winter Garden with Shelter for Wildlife – Here are a few of the ways we keep our yard as a wildlife habitat in winter. We have structured our garden to help encourage wildlife to visit all year long. Create a Winter Garden and add shelter for wildlife with these easy and effective resources and tips.

The Ultimate List of Garden and Wildflowers Nature Study with the Outdoor Hour Challenges – You can enjoy a simple garden and wildflowers homeschool nature study with these resources we have gathered for you to use in your own backyard. It is such a delight to study and learn about a garden and the beauty of wildflowers!

Planting a Rainbow Book Activities: Flower Craft and Nature Game – This book is a fun way to introduce children to gardening. Each page has vibrant illustrations of bulbs and flowers. Children can see how different plants and flowers come in all different colors—-all the colors of the rainbow.

How to Make a Wagon Garden – such a fun way to make container gardens around book themes!

Gardening Projects for Kids is more than a "how to" garden book. It encourages a gardening way of life – in your backyard working and playing together.

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

Can you believe all of these garden and wildflowers resources you will find in membership? You will also find a continuing series on gardens and wildflowers plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. 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 Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Published August 2012 by Barb and updated 2025 by Tricia

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Nyctinasty Nature Study: Learn Why Flowers Close at Night

Learn why and how some flowers close up at night. Enjoy your own Nyctinasty Nature Study with these ideas.

I love learning about amazing things that happen right under my nose. Many of us have observed the way our dandelions are closed up tight in the morning and then the bloom opens up in the sunshine each day. But, have we taken the time to really understand how that happens and more importantly, why it happens? Enjoy this simple Nyctinasty Nature Study in your backyard!

Learn why and how some flowers close up at night. Enjoy your own Nyctinasty Nature Study with these ideas.

What is Nyctinasty ?

This unfamiliar word was first introduced in the early 1900’s by German botanist Wilhelm Pfeffer. He was a pioneer of plant physiology and molecular biology. Nyctinasty means: plant movement in response to light intensity; or the closing of flowers at night. Which ultimately can help to protect the pollen from dew.

Some flowers that open and close:

  • Daisies: White daisies close their petals as evening falls
  • Tulips: Close up at night
  • Poppies: Close up at night
  • Crocuses: Close up at night
  • Morning glories: Experience nyctinasty
  • Lotuses: Some water plants that close their flowers at night
  • Water lilies: Some water plants that close their flowers at night
  • Oxalises: Experience nyctinasty
  • Gazanias: Experience nyctinasty

Even the leaves of some plants, like those of certain legumes, open and close. Peas, chickpeas, soybeans, beans, and peanuts, fold up at night.

How does nyctinasty work?

Nyctinasty is controlled by the circadian clock. It’s associated with changes in light and temperature during the day. Plants change pressure in cells at the base of the leaf or petal, which swell or shrink to cause the movement.

Learn why and how some flowers close up at night. Enjoy your own Nyctinasty Nature Study with these ideas.

 

Nyctinasty Nature Study: Why Do Flowers Close At Night?

Nyctinasty Nature Study: Find a patch of daisies, dandelions, or poppies near your yard. Observe the flowers at different times of the day. What time of day do they open? What time do they start to close? Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the new Nyctinasty Worksheet and draw their observations. This worksheet is in the Member Database in the Wildflowers course.

Advanced Nyctinasty Nature Study: For an additional experiment, try covering a dandelion with a box to shut out the light. What do you think you will find when you take the box off the next day?

Taking time to notice these changes will help your child make a more intimate connection with the world around them. I guarantee you will look at dandelions differently after observing them up close!

More Flower Activities for Spring

Looking for more flowers to study? Try these other Nature Study Ideas:

A Simple Homeschool Science Activity: Food Coloring Flowers plus these…

Join The Homeschool Nature Study Membership

You will also find a continuing series on gardens and wildflowers plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges for nature study in our Homeschool Nature Study Membership. 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!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

 

first published April 2018 by Barb, updated by Stef March 2025

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Autumn Pear Study: Fun Facts For Kids

When fall rolls around we usually celebrate all things apple and pumpkin, but what about pears?! Autumn Pear Study is one of the Outdoor Hour Challenges that does not specifically have a lesson in the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Therefore, we’re happy to share fun fruity facts!

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Pears: Fruit or Vegetable ?

Pears are a sweet buttery fruit. Generally shaped like a bell, or oval, pears have greenish colored skin some varieties are red. Pears are high in dietary fiber and can be eaten raw or baked. In the states, we are most familiar with the Bartlett Pear. This image from USA Pears with harvest times is helpful.

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Fruit or Vegetable Sorting Worksheet

The characteristics of all fruits include: developing from a flower, most fruits contain seeds, and fruits are typically sweet while vegetables are savory. Homeschool Nature Study Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet for younger learners.

This autumn, enjoy this pear study and fun facts. Members can download the Fruits and Vegetables Sorting Worksheet.

Autumn Pear Study Fun Facts

Did you know pears date back to Ancient Greece? Homer described them as “gifts from the gods“.

Romans planted pears throughout Europe developing 50 different varieties.

Pears in the United States are grown in Washington and Oregon.

Pears are part of the rose family. The Rose family is called Rosaceae.

Pear wood is a hard, reddish, fine-grained hardwood that’s often used for making musical instruments, like the lute and guitar.

In Chinese tradition, a common remedy for chronic coughs and asthma involves steaming an Asian pear with a tablespoon of sugar.

“And a partridge in a pear tree”, We all know the first line from The Twelve Days of Christmas. The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, a bird that will die to protect its young.

More Fall Studies

Looking for more Fall Studies to include in your Nature Study time? Click an image below.

Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Undeniably, now is a great time to join Homeschool Nature Study! We offer a multitude of science activities, hands-on learning ideas, seasonal nature studies, crafts, free resources for all ages – join the #outdoorhourchallenge community and enhance your homeschool science lessons!

Stef Layton Bio

Stef started homeschooling her boys in 2008. She quickly adopted a hands-on learning homeschool style and graduated her oldest tactile learner in 2021. Then she started the Hands-On Learning column in Homeschooling Today magazine. The Laytons currently reside in the foothills of Colorado where Stef also teaches yoga. The family loves to hike trails, stand-up paddle board, and chase sunsets. Stef shares travel and homeschool tips on IG at @LaytonAdventures.

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An Easy Kids’ Guide To Planting Bulbs in the Fall

You have heirloom bulbs given to you or your bulbs just arrived in the mail? Here is the best guide to planting bulbs in the fall.

Here is the best kids' guide to planting bulbs in the fall for your heirloom bulbs given to you or your bulbs that just arrived in the mail!

Planting Bulbs: A Favorite Fall Homeschool Activity

You will want to know when to plant, how to plant but also you will need to research your hardiness zone.

When and How to Plant Bulbs

The National Gardening Association has some simple steps to follow.

Here is how to find your hardiness zone for the best time for planting in the area you live.

“The best time to plant spring-flowering bulbs depends on where you live. Ideally, wait until the soil temperature is below 60°F. As a general guide, plant in September through early October if you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 or 5; October to early November in zones 6 or 7; and November to early December in zones 8 and 9. Plant bulbs that have been refrigerated for 8 to 10 weeks in late December to early January in zone 10.”

Planting Bulbs in Your Yard with Children

Our Outdoor Hour Challenge founder, Barb McCoy, shared her experience with planting bulbs in the fall:

I ordered the bulbs online and they held my order until it was time to plant them in the ground. I decided I needed to just do it before I forgot about the bulbs and they sat in the box all winter. (Not like I have ever done that before.)


The instructions that came with the bulbs said that the soil needs to have good drainage and our natural garden soil is a little on the clay-like side so we added some soil enhancer to increase the texture of the soil.

  • The instructions also said to add a little bulb booster product and I found this sack at Home Depot for a few dollars. I read the back and added the prescribed amount into each hole I dug.
  • You can see, in the photo above, my holes for the allium gladiator bulbs that I purchased. I am so excited about planting these guys and I look forward to seeing them bloom sometime next year.
  • The photo collage also shows my tulip bulbs going in. They will be in the front of the garden box that the allium is in and they will bloom at different times. I purchased purple tulips for the first time. I also planted dutch iris and double daffodils for a total of forty-one new bulbs.

It took me the better part of an afternoon but now I can sit back and wait for spring and some new color in my garden.

Don’t miss your best opportunity for a spring bloom. It will be a delight to see all that spring bulb color after a long winter.

Planting bulbs are a favorite fall homeschool activity! Here is the best guide to planting bulbs in the fall for your heirloom bulbs given to you or your bulbs that just arrived in the mail!

More Homeschool Garden Activities in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

These homeschool garden activities are perfect for your nature studies. Includes outdoor activities and gardening tips for kids. Enjoy all of these and more in homeschool nature study membership:

  • Garden Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum
  • Herbs Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum (annual members)
  • Flower and Gardening Activities and Notebook Pages
  • Learning leaf parts
  • Poppies and buttercups
  • Ferns
  • Looking for pollen
  • Pressing flowers
  • How to draw flowers
  • Learning flower parts and dissection of flowers
  • The garden snail
  • Garden Seed Ideas

You will find hundreds of homeschool nature studies plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. 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!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

By Barb McCoy, founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study. Updated and new resources added by Tricia.

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Learning About Seeds Preschool Activities

When spring time rolls around it’s the perfect time to start learning about seeds. We want to share a handful of preschool activities (dirty fingers as well as clean and dry ones) we think you can easily incorporate into your homeschool to help with learning about seeds.

Learning About Seeds Preschool Activities

1. Plant seeds!

We purchased some seed kits from the dollar spot at Target. We do this every year because my toddlers love planting and taking care of their seeds and they usually end up loving these seeds to death. My 3 younger girls each planted different plants: basil, sunflowers, and poppy flowers.

2. Seed sort nature activity

Use 3 -5 different seeds (depending on your child’s ability) and have them sort the seeds by like kinds. What do they notice about seeds? Are seeds all the same shape? Same color? Same size? Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the Seed Sorting Worksheet from their dashboard to compare 4 different types of seeds.

Look around your vegetables and fruits to find seeds. Notice seeds we eat and seeds we discard (cucumbers vs peppers). Notice seeds on the outside of fruits and seeds deep in vegetables. Compare little seeds of an apple to a big seed of an avocado.

4. Make a seed collage

Using an assortment of seeds, glue seeds on a heavier piece of cardstock or cardboard. Arrange seeds to spell out your children’s names. I promise it’ll be, F U N !

5. Learn plant vocabulary

Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the Parts of a Plant and Tree Life Cycle worksheets from their dashboard to learn and match plant vocabulary.

6. Make a flower craft (also can be used as a Bible lesson.)

Print the Don’t Worry Flowers. Children can learn about how God knows what they need and cares for them.

More Nature Resources For Preschoolers

Our monthly membership has everything you need for studying nature together as a family. Learn more about our creative and engaging resources.

Join Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Written by Maureen Spell. Updated and new resources created by Stef Layton.

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Planting a Rainbow Book Activities: Flower Craft and Nature Game

After many, many days of grey, dreary weather–we needed a change! So for this week I checked out Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert.

This book is a fun way to introduce children to gardening. Each page has vibrant illustrations of bulbs and flowers. Children can see how different plants and flowers come in all different colors—-all the colors of the rainbow.

After reading the book, my daughter worked on a color-matching game and did a flower craft.

Planting a Rainbow File-folder Game:

Supplies
1 file folder
1 large piece of black fun foam or construction paper
colorful craft sticks glue
Directions:
1. Glue the craft sticks onto one half of the file-folder in the order shown in the book: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.

2. Glue the piece of black fun foam/construction paper over the bottoms of the sticks to represent the soil.

3. Tape a large Ziplock bag on the other half to hold the rest of the popsicle sticks for matching.

4. Have the child place the matching colors on top of the glued-down sticks.

5. Optional: On plain wooden sticks, write the name of each color and have the student try to match the color name to the colored stick.

6. Optional: Use different color flower punch-outs or foam shapes and have the children match the correct color flower to the correct color stick.

Planting a Rainbow Flower Nature Craft

Our Homeschool Nature Study members enjoy this fun Planting a Rainbow nature craft! You can even add a cute, little worm in the dirt!

Plant a Rainbow Garden and Book Extensions

1. Plant your own  rainbow garden.

2. Read: The Black Book of Colors: This is a book of colors that is meant to be felt, not seen. It tells how blind people relate to colors.

After reading this book, go on a scavenger hunt and gather things to create your own color book collage using the items mentioned in the book.

3. Go on a nature color walk.

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

More Nature Crafts For Kids With The Homeschool Nature Study Membership

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.

Do you like the idea of involving young children in nature study but not sure how to start? Do you need a little help being intentional with your nature studies? Nature Study Printables is full of printable tools for you to use to get young children observing and talking about nature! Everything you need for engaging nature crafts for kids!

Nature Study Printables for Toddlers and Preschoolers is a 60+ page eBook included in Homeschool Nature Study Membership containing all of our toddler and preschool nature study printables plus 20 exclusive pages available only in this book! Use these tools alongside Homeschool Nature Study Preschool Curriculum to help informally introduce young children to the natural world around them.

Looking for nature journaling and studies for your older children? You might also like The Ultimate Guide to Nature Journaling: Tips for Writing About Nature and Homeschool Nature Study for Teens: Three Steps for Success.

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!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Now!

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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Summer Butterfly Nature Study – How to Make a Butterfly Puddle

Enjoy a summer butterfly nature study! Here is an easy step-by-step on how to make a butterfly puddle right in your own backyard.

Over the years, I’ve observed butterflies along hiking trails in the muddy edges. There will sometimes be 10 or 12 butterflies sitting on the mud slowly opening and closing their wings. This behavior fascinated me! After a little research on the internet, I discovered that butterflies are attracted to mud puddles for not only the moisture but the minerals and salts that are present in the mud.

**Don’t miss the nature study and art giveaway at the end!

Enjoy a summer nature study! Here is an easy step-by-step on how to make a butterfly puddle and attract butterflies to your backyard garden.

Summer Butterfly Nature Study – How To Make a Butterfly Puddle

So, this summer I’ve decided I want to make my own butterfly mud puddle, but make it in a large saucer. During my research, I ran across several websites and videos that explained how to make an artificial mud puddle that butterflies could use in my garden.

Basically, you add sand to the saucer along with some sort of mineral source. I decided to try compost, a little gravel, a few rocks, and a bit of Epsom salts with my sand. Then you add water to moisten your “puddle”.

Here is a step-by-step how to for a butterfly puddle.

Attract Butterflies to Your Garden with a Butterfly Puddle

Here’s a YouTube video for you to watch for a tutorial:

Simple and easy!

I would love for you to give this project a try with your children and let me know if you were successful too!

You can always leave me a comment, email me directly, or post an image on Instagram and use the hashtag outdoorhourchallenge.

More Resources For Homeschool Nature Study

For even more homeschool nature study ideas, 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!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership HERE

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get Outdoors!

Enjoy a summer nature study! Here is an easy step-by-step on how to make a butterfly puddle and attract butterflies to your backyard garden.

By Barb, July 2021

Nature Study and Art Giveaway!

This time of year the butterflies are out, and there’s a cool canopy of trees teeming with all sorts of plant and animal activity. We are blessed with so many beautiful details to study with our children as we enjoy the outdoors.

If you are looking for an engaging way to start the homeschool year, why not raise butterflies and enjoy some nature journaling? We have just the giveaway!

You ARE An Artist, Homeschool Nature Study, and The Homeschool Scientist have teamed up for a fun Nature Study and Art Giveaway!

Here’s what’s included in this hands-on science and art prize pack:

  • A set of 12 NuPastels
  • A magnifying glass
  • A copy of the beautifully illustrated Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story. Read more about the book here.
  • An Insect Lore Butterfly Garden with a certificate for caterpillars (This is so much fun!)
  • A 24-piece set of insect life cycle figurines from Insect Lore

You may enter once per day. Entry closes at 11:59 p.m. on August 9, 2022. You must be over 18 years or old to enter. U.S. residents only. The email provided in the giveaway widget will be used to contact the winner.

Click HERE to Enter to Win!

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Plant Life Nature Study: Learning The Parts of a Flower

A simple homeschool plant life nature study learning the parts of a flower. Flowers are a wonderful first nature study topic for many children, especially those flowers they find and ask about on your creative nature walks or even in your own backyard. Keep it simple and fun!

“All the names should be taught gradually by constant unemphasized use on the part of the teacher; and if the child does not learn the names naturally then do not make him do it unnaturally.”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 456
A simple homeschool plant life nature study learning the parts of a flower. Flowers are a wonderful first nature study topic for many children, especially those flowers they find and ask about on your creative nature walks or even in your own backyard. Keep it simple and fun!

Plant Life Nature Study – Learning the Parts of a Flower

This plant life nature study is going to be helpful to all families as they strive to learn the technical names for flower parts. Make sure to read the pages in the Handbook of Nature Study and look up the link in the challenge with a printable with the flower parts labeled. Don’t make this too much of a drill or memorization assignment. As the need arises, use the proper names for the flower parts as you go through your outdoor time and find garden flowers or wildflowers to observe.

More Flower Nature Study Activities

You will also enjoy this parts of a flower printable from our friends at The Homeschool Scientist.

Our sister site, You ARE an ARTiST, has a parts of a daffodil art lesson included in the I Drew It Then I Knew It Science series with Nana.

A simple homeschool plant life nature study learning the parts of a flower. Flowers are a wonderful first nature study topic for many children, especially those flowers they find and ask about on your creative nature walks or even in your own backyard. Keep it simple and fun!

Homeschool Nature Study Lesson Plans

If you are a member here at Homeschool Nature Study, you will find this plant life nature study flower challenge in the Garden Flower and Plant Curriculum ebook in your membership library. In the ebook you will find a custom notebook page designed for use with this particular challenge.

Join the Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

 Published April 2016 by Barb

A simple homeschool plant life nature study learning the parts of of a flower. Flowers are a wonderful first nature study topic for many children
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How to Make Your Backyard a Natural Habitat for Wildlife

Here are some simple ways you can make your backyard a natural habitat for wildlife. You will love having the opportunity to have nature come to you in your very own backyard. Involve your whole family in the project and spend some time outdoors!

When we first moved into our house over twenty years ago, the backyard was fairly generic. It had a big weedy lawn, a pine tree, a few fruit trees, blackberries along the fence, and some bushes in the back. The front yard had a magnolia tree and some lawn. Not really very inviting to either humans or animals. It was not a very big yard either and we did not have a lot of money to do big landscape projects at that time.

We didn’t set out to create a natural habitat for wildlife in our yard, but it has turned out that way with some simple ideas in mind. Working on one small area at a time we managed to eventually build up what we have now.

How to Get Started Making Your Backyard a Natural Habitat for Wildlife

Animals and Birds need some basic things in order to consider your backyard an attractive habitat.

  • Food
  • Water
  • Shelter
  • Somewhere to have their young
Here are some simple ways you can make your backyard a natural habitat for wildlife. You will love having nature come to you in your very own backyard.

Food Sources for Your Backyard

Here are some ideas for food sources for wildlife:

  • Wild sources of food in your backyard like blackberries and grasses that produce seeds.
  • You can plant a variety of things to help provide food as well.
  • We have a fig tree, a walnut tree, sunflowers every summer, and flowers whose nectar is attractive to birds and insects like trumpet vine and butterfly bush.
  • A trumpet vine is a favorite of the hummingbirds when it is in bloom. There will three or four all sipping nectar on various sides of the trellis and they are amazing to watch. We also have several types of bird feeders in our yard at varying levels.
  • Platform feeders, hopper feeders, hummingbird feeders, and special finch feeders are filled all year round. We have a suet feeder that we add in the winter.
  • We also have a butterfly/hummingbird garden established with quite a few plants that are attractive to various kinds of butterflies.
  • We have seen Tiger swallowtails already this year and we are hoping to start attracting some Monarchs with the milkweed that we have started in a patch near the back of the garden.
  • We also know that a variety of mammals eat the seed under the feeders. We have seen skunks, voles, and moles. We have seen evidence of other rodents but can’t be sure exactly what else is out there at night.
a water source for your backyard habitat. Here are some simple ways you can make your backyard a natural habitat for wildlife. You will love having nature come to you in your very own backyard.

Water Sources for Your Backyard Nature Study

A water source is essential in attracting wildlife to your backyard natural habitat.

  • We have two bird baths that are available for the birds year round. We also have noticed the birds perched on the potted plants getting water from the base. The birds also enjoy the rainbird sprinklers when they are on and we frequently see blackbirds shaking around in the spray.
  • We have seen little raccoon footprints around the bird bath as well. We know we have at least one raccoon because we have seen him up on our deck at night looking in the back window. Too cute.
watering the garden. Homeschool nature study

Shelter for Wildlife

Here are some ideas for shelter for wildlife in your backyard natural habitat:

  • We have not been successful with having birds nest in our birdhouse, but we have had several birds over the years make nests in our magnolia and sequoia trees.
  • There are also birds that nest in the eave of our neighbors garage right along the fence line. They fly in and out and use our feeders. Believe it or not, the birds fly into the space under the beam. If you click the photo you can see where they go in and out.
  • We have three large areas where we have shrubs for the birds to hide in. These photinia bushes behind the garden provide a great spot for the finches and little birds to perch as they wait their turn at the feeders.
  • These areas are near the feeders and the bird baths and the birds seem to like having the option to fly into the shrub and then check the feeder out before perching to eat a meal. The bushes come alive in the winter when the weather is wet because so many birds take shelter there out of the weather.
  • The back oak tree has bats from time to time and if we come out at night we can see them flying around the backyard eating insects midair.
  • We have a section of our yard that has big river rocks and this is where you will find a variety of insects living underneath and also a shelter for the reptiles in our yard. Yes, we have a couple types of lizards and other reptiles in our yard and the boys love it.
  • The grape vines which we planted last year are providing another spot for the birds to perch plus the added bonus of some seedless grapes for us at the end of the season.
  • Another great place that we know we have provided shelter is within our compost pile. This really could go under the category of food as well since we know that birds and other small creatures forage in the compost for meals.
bird nest - Here are some simple ways you can make your backyard a natural habitat for wildlife. You will love having nature come to you in your very own backyard.

Natural Habitat: Provide a Place to Raise Young

The trees in our yard are a great place for birds to raise their babies. We just had “flying school” for the Scrub jays in our yard for the babies. They have all flown out on their own now and it was fun to watch. The hummingbirds are all up in a pine tree and a cedar tree that borders the back of our property and although we have never seen them, we know they nest and raise babies there.

We do have our limits thought….the six foot fence all the way around was in response to the mule deer that would come in and devastate a whole vegetable garden in one night. We knew we would be forcing them to go elsewhere for a meal but we live fairly close to a riparian habitat that they can graze and get water from. They still make themselves at home in our unfenced front yard and I hear them on hot summer nights snacking on my roses. I guess they must be hungry. The photo above shows where on the side of the house outside the fenced in area, the deer are still taking shelter here and sleeping. You can see where the grasses and plants are all flattened down from where they lay down and rest.

Last year we had a family of skunks move in under the back deck. I had the boys fill up the crevice with rocks as soon as they moved out. As much as I love wildlife, having a skunk family that near to our house was not pleasant…you can only imagine.

So there are some ideas to get you started with your backyard natural habitat. Take it one section and one idea at a time and soon you will have your own nature study laboratory right outside your back door. It has taken us over twenty years to build up the different aspects but it has been a labor of love. We are continually adding little things to help make the backyard beautiful and also attractive to birds and other animals.

You might be interested in what the National Wildlife Federation says about building a backyard natural habitat.
Create A Wildlife Habitat

You will also like these ideas for Creating Your Backyard Homeschool Nature Study Laboratory.

You will find hundreds of homeschool nature studies plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. 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 The Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Year Round Support

You will find hundreds of homeschool nature studies plus all the Outdoor Hour Challenges in our Homeschool Nature Study membership. 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 the Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

written by Barb June 2009, updated by Tricia February 2022

Here are some simple ways you can make your backyard a natural habitat for wildlife. You will love having nature come to you in your very own backyard.