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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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150 Homeschool Nature Study Ideas To Get Your Family Outdoors

Be inspired with 150 homeschool nature study ideas and outdoors sorts of things! Make a list of your own and get outdoors!

Be inspired with 150 homeschool nature study ideas and outdoors sorts of things! Make a list of your own and get outdoors!
Photos by Amy Law

My husband and I were inspired by another meme to make up own of our own. We sat under a blanket one cold morning over a winter break and compiled a list of 150 homeschool nature study ideas and random outdoor sorts of things.

It was fun to list 150 things we have done or would like to do. We decided to narrow the list to things to do in the United States so feel free to use our list or come up with one of your own!

We have not done or experienced all the things on the list *yet* but it is fun to think about how we could check some of the items off the list in the future.

We marked our completed homeschool nature study ideas with a star.

150 Homeschool Nature Study Ideas

Outdoor Hour Challenge – 150 Outdoor Sorts of Things to Do – United States Version

1. Make maple syrup.
2. Stand under a redwood/sequoia. *
3. Ski down a mountain. *
4. See a saguaro cactus. *
5. See an alligator in the wild.
6. Find a shell on a beach. *
7. Skip a rock on a lake. *
8. See a sunrise. *
9. Pick an apple from a tree. *
10. Grow a sunflower. *
11. Sleep under the stars in a sleeping bag.*
12. Find the Big Dipper.*
13. Climb a sand dune. *
14. Walk in the rain with or without an umbrella. *
15. Find a fossil.
16. Take a photo of the Grand Canyon. *
17. Go to the lowest point of North America-Badwater, CA *
18. See a raptor fly. *
19. Be able to identify ten birds.*
20. See a mushroom. *

Be inspired with 99 homeschool nature study ideas and outdoors sorts of things! Make a list of your own and get outdoors!


21. Visit a tide pool. *
22. Visit a volcano. *
23. Feel an earthquake. *
24. See a tornado.
25. Experience a hurricane.
26. Catch snow on your tongue. *
27. See a deer in the wild. *
28. Touch a dolphin.
29. Go ice skating on a pond.
30. Go fishing. *
31. Go snorkeling.*
32. Whittle a stick. *
33. Gather chicken eggs.
34. Milk a cow or a goat.
35. Ride a horse. *
36. See a moose. *
37. Gather acorns.*
38. Pick berries and eat some.*
39. Watch a lightning storm. *
40. Build a campfire.*
41 Press a flower.*
42. Use binoculars to spot a bird. *
43. Identify five wildflowers. *
44. Take a photo of Half Dome. *
45. Find a piece of obsidian. *
46. See a tumbleweed. *
47. See a wild snake.*
48. Watch a spider spin a web. *
49. Climb a tree. *
50. Get lost on a hike. *
51. Watch ants in a colony. *
52. Hatch a butterfly. *
53. Climb a rock. *
54. See the Continental Divide. *
55. See a ladybug.*
56. See a bear in the wild. *
57. Dig for worms. *
58. Grow a vegetable and then eat it. *
59. See a bat flying. *
60. Feel a sea star. *
61. Swim in the ocean.*
62. See a geyser erupt.*
63. Walk in the fog. *
64. Observe a bee.*
65. Find a bird’s nest. *
66. See a beaver’s den.*
67. Go whale watching. *
68. See a banana slug. *
69. Stand on the edge of a cliff.*

Be inspired with 99 homeschool nature study ideas and outdoors sorts of things! Make a list of your own and get outdoors!

70. Blow a dandelion. *
71. Throw a snowball and build a snowman.*
72. Cook an egg on the sidewalk…can you actually do that?
73. See a lightning bug. Or do you call it a firefly?*
74. Visit a cave. *
75. Make a sandcastle. *
76. Hear a cricket. *
77. Catch a frog.
78. Watch for the first star in the evening.*
79. Smell a skunk. *
80. Feel pine sap. *
81. Feed a duck. *
82. Learn to use a compass or GPS.*
83. See a buffalo. *

Find a waterfall!


84. Get wet in a waterfall. *
85. Swim in a lake. *
86. Walk on a log. *
87. Feel moss.*
88. Jump in a pile of leaves. *
89. Fly a kite. *
90. Walk barefoot in the mud. *
91. Hear a sea lion bark. *
92. Hear a coyote. *
93. Pan for gold. *
94. Crack open a nut. *
95. Go snowshoeing. *
96. Feel a cattail. *
97. Smell a pine forest. *
98. Sit under a palm tree.*
99. Walk across a stream on rocks.*

100. Plant a rainbow.*
101. Compare seeds.*
102. Gaze at the northern lights. *
103. Explore the subnivean zone.
104. Create a winter garden. *
105. Watch bald eagles.*
106. Hear an elk. *
107. Take a leaf art nature walk. *
108. Go on a pumpkin field trip. *
109. Read a nature book outdoors. *
110. Hear a woodpecker. *
111. Watch a squirrel gather acorns. *
112. Make a leaf mask. *
113. Plant a bulb. *
114. Explore the seashore.*
115. Gaze at the moon.*

116. Listen for an owl. *
117. Play in a creek. *
118. Watch fish. *
119. Find tadpoles.*
120. Watch hummingbirds.*

Then add these 30 MORE for 150 nature study ideas!

30 Backyard Family Activities! These 30 backyard family activities help you have fun outdoors with your children in a way that is easy and fun! Ever get the “Mom, I’m bored” line from your kids? Boredom is often the gateway to greater use of the child’s imagination, and saying “I’m bored” in our house usually receives the answer, of “go play outside. . . build a fort, climb a tree, watch a bug. . . or something like that.” Two hours later, that kid will come back in and say, “Mom, come see what I built/did/saw!” And, it’s usually pretty fantastic.

What would you add to the list?

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!

Join Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get Outdoors!

first published January 2009 by Barb

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Spring Preschool Science Activities and Book Lists

These spring preschool science activities will delight your youngest homeschoolers! Butterflies, flowers, ladybugs and more!

These spring preschool science activities will delight your youngest homeschoolers! Butterflies, flowers, ladybugs and more!

Spring Preschool Science Activities

Our homeschool is more than ready for spring to arrive! We can’t wait until we can spend a huge amount of time outdoors. We miss the sun. It has been a very dreary winter.

So on the docket for this week is spring preschool planning! I’m going to be gathering the supplies and getting them ready in bins for use later this year. Some of the activities we are going to cover will be repeats from last year because they are just so much fun.

Here is some of what I have planned:

Preschool Nature Study: Butterfly Life Cycle Journal

Last year we watched the life cycle of a butterfly. All my kids found it fascinating to watch the caterpillars turn into butterflies! We will be doing this activity again– probably in May so that it will be warm enough for the butterflies to survive once released. Many of the activities and resources we will be using can be found in the Butterfly Journal in the Preschool Nature Study curriculum in membership.

Preschool Science Butterfly Books:

These spring preschool science activities will delight your youngest homeschoolers! Butterflies, flowers, ladybugs and more!

Preschool Flowers Unit Study

Spring is the perfect time to talk about and observe flowers! We will be planning and planting our garden, going on nature walks, and doing a couple of flower observation activities like food coloring flowers.

You can also find Seed Observation and Journaling activities in the Preschool course in membership!

Flower Books for Preschool Nature Study:

Preschool Ladybug Unit Study:

This will be a first for us– raising Ladybugs! Since the ant farm was such a big hit in past years, I thought my girls would like to see how ladybugs change. We’ll be getting the InsectLore Ladybug Land in order to see these tiny creatures first hand.

ladybugland

Ladybug books

I’m sure we’ll end up doing more, but for now I’m going to plan in detail these three themes.

More Preschool Homeschool Nature Study

If you are looking for more preschool science ideas, we did some cool things with ants and worms last year, plus other science activities.

These spring preschool science activities will delight your youngest homeschoolers! Butterflies, flowers, ladybugs and more!

Toddler and Preschool Nature Study Printables

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!

Preschool Nature Study with Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

Enjoy ALL of our preschool nature studies plus access to the Outdoor Hour Challenges curriculum for the whole family in Homeschool Nature Study Membership. Find out more about our Delightful Preschool Nature Study Plans for Your Homeschool.

These spring preschool science activities will delight your youngest homeschoolers! Butterflies, flowers, ladybugs and more!
Explore Homeschool Nature Study Membership for Access to All of These Resources and MORE!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Do you have any special spring themes or topics you’ll be doing? Let me know in the comments.

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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Winter Weeds and Seeds Nature Hunt

Snowy walks are a great opportunity to spot beautiful winter weeds and seeds. Like this seed pod I noticed in our backyard. In my mind’s eye I see the seeds all sleeping inside cozy, waiting for the right time to spring out and sprout in the springtime sunshine.

Find Winter Weeds and Seeds on your next nature walk. Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the Seeds Comparison Worksheet.

Winter Weeds and Seeds Nature Hunt

What are seeds doing in the winter? In the winter, seeds are dormant and experience cold stratification. These are two great words to define and draw in your Nature Journal! We are all pretty familiar with “dormant”, but “cold stratification” might be a new concept. It means, the cold weather breaks down the seed coat and allows water to enter the seed. This process mimics the natural cycle of winter cold and precipitation, followed by spring warmth.  

Find Winter Weeds and Seeds on your next nature walk. Homeschool Nature Study Members can print the Seeds Comparison Worksheet.

Take advantage of your winter season to look for weeds and seeds. The landscape at this time of year has far less competing for your attention and weeds can be spotted even if you have snow or ice.

Tricia's family enjoyed a winter weeds and seeds hunt in their own backyard! They even found hints of spring. Enjoy their discoveries and journal pages.

Tricia’s family enjoyed a winter weeds and seeds hunt in their own backyard! They even found hints of spring. Enjoy their discoveries and journal pages here.

Seed Comparison Worksheet

If it’s still a bit too cold to start hunting for seeds – bring the seed hunt inside with this new Member’s Worksheet: Seed Comparison. Let students draw their seeds and discuss the different shapes, colors, and sizes. Find the Seed Comparison Worksheet in your Member’s Database.

seed comparison worksheet

I am so looking forward to the wildflower season this year! We have had a decent amount of rain and it should help make it a splendid show of color in a few weeks! Read more about Wildflowers from these great posts!

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!

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

first published January 2017 by Barb, updated by Stef February 2025

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Ambleside Online Nature Study Resources: Term 3

Homeschool Nature Study and Ambleside Online (AO) Term 3 can work together with The Handbook of Nature Study! Have fun learning about insects.

If you’re using Ambleside Online for your homeschool year, you know that the nature study rotation for Term 3 of 2024-25 is studying insects! Some people love insects, and many do not; but if you look closely at them, they have so much about them that is interesting!

Homeschool Nature Study and Ambleside Online (AO) Term 3 can work together with The Handbook of Nature Study! Have fun learning about insects.

And, insects can be found literally everywhere! We’ve gathered the Outdoor Hour Challenges that go along with Term 3 for this year in this one post for you. We hope it will help to make insect nature study a breeze for Ambleside Online users over the next few months. . .and lots of fun, too!

Don’t forget your copy of the Handbook of Nature Study! So may of these studies follow right along with that book, and it’s great if you have it on hand to reference. It’s always helpful to read it ahead of time; so you can tell it back to your kids without having to read it out loud to them word for word.

Ambleside Online Nature Study Resources Term 3: Insects

Here is an Outdoor Hour Challenge perfect for this time of year!

Homeschool Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenge: Winter Insects

Insect Nature Studies – Outdoor Hour Challenges

If you work your way through the section on insects in the Handbook of Nature Study, the lessons listed below line up with the Outdoor Hour Challenges!

Homeschool Nature Study and Ambleside Online (AO) Term 3 can work together with The Handbook of Nature Study! Have fun learning about insects.
Homeschool Nature Study and Ambleside Online (AO) Term 3 can work together with The Handbook of Nature Study! Have fun learning about insects.

Here are some other ideas that go along with Ambleside Online’s study of insects:

Take a closer look at insects with a magnifying lens!

A sweet post encouraging us to take the time to observe flowers and insects:

This post has ideas for building winter habitats in your backyard for wildlife. . .including insects!

Homeschool Nature Study and Ambleside Online (AO) Term 3 can work together with The Handbook of Nature Study! Have fun learning about insects.

More Insect Nature Studies with The Outdoor Hour Challenges

Here are even more nature studies for discovering and learning about insects!

If you’d like to look back our post about Term 2’s nature study from the school year 2024-2025, you can find that post here. It also gives a quick overview of the Ambleside Online curriculum and several helpful links.

Happy insect observing!

Spring Nature Studies with the Outdoor Hour Challenges

Our Homeschool Nature Study members have access to endless year round nature studies, including these courses with Handbook of Nature Study references, follow up nature journaling activities, printable notebook and journaling pages and resources to inspire and guide you.

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership Here!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Amy Law is wife to Jeremy, and mom to three. They homeschool using Charlotte Mason’s principles, and love to spend lots of time in nature! You can often find them hiking the beautiful trails of their beloved Tennessee hills, while Amy attempts to capture the beauty of it all with her camera lens.

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Northern Lights Nature Study Activities

The night sky is an amazing sight to behold! With the opportunity to take part in these northern lights nature study activities, there are fantastic memories to be made with your children. Learn about the aurora borealis in your homeschool!

With these northern lights nature study activities, study the aurora borealis in a way that is accessible and fun for kids!

Aurora Borealis is Commonly Called The Northern Lights

The beautiful rays of deep and colorful lights are usually only visible in the most northern or southern areas of the planet – at the poles. That is why the aurora borealis is commonly called the northern lights. The visual display is the result of disturbances in the magnetosphere caused by solar winds.

Find out more with these:

Because of solar flares, the northern lights have been visible several times much further south in latitude. We live in Georgia and have been able to see these awesome lights right out our back door!

An aurora looks like a beautiful display of lights in the sky. We can also see auroras from space! The name of an aurora changes depending on its location. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, it is called aurora borealis, or northern lights, and if you’re in the southern hemisphere, then it is called aurora australis, or southern lights.”

What is an aurora? -NASA.gov

With more opportunities for even more families to enjoy the northern lights, we knew it was time to take a deeper dive into a northern lights nature study!

With these northern lights nature study activities, study the aurora borealis in a way that is accessible and fun for kids!

Northern Lights Nature Study Activities

There are several ways to learn about and enjoy nature study activities about the northern lights.

Learn About the Northern Lights with The Handbook of Nature Study

  • Read pages 776-779 in the Handbook of Nature Study on The Magnet.
  • Find out when you have the opportunity to view the northern lights or plan to travel to see them. You can also view our northern lights experience on Instagram.
  • Include a magnet study, below, in your study of northern lights.
  • Follow up with some nature journaling time. You will also find an art lesson, below.

Homeschool Nature Study on Magnets and The Compass

Enjoy this study exploring magnets and the compass. This study lends itself to lots of lovely opportunities to draw in experiments. So if you are one that struggles with science then this study is a wonderful and gentle introduction. Learn about the cardinal directions, north, south, east and west. And dig deeper into the magnetic fields of our planet earth.

Homeschool Nature Study members can find this full study in the Winter course.

Hands On Nature Journaling Art Activity: Northern Lights Art Lesson at You ARE an ARTiST

We were fascinated with these beautiful northern lights even before we had we had the opportunity to see them in our own backyard. My mother, Nana, of our sister website, You ARE an ARTiST, shared a gorgeous northern lights art lesson!

You can follow her lesson and capture the colors that you see.

With these northern lights nature study activities, study the aurora borealis in a way that is accessible and fun for kids!

More Night Sky Activities for Your Homeschool

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!

Join Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Enjoy the outdoors at night with your children. If you have early risers, you can even enjoy some time then. It is a special time to share together.

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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A Fascinating Winter Subnivean Zone Nature Study

Learn more about the interesting Subnivean Zone animals and predators with these winter facts and new member worksheet.

Learn more about the interesting Subnivean Zone animals and predators with these facts and new member worksheet.

The Subnivean Zone is found in and under the snow pack. It’s the space that many creatures inhabit during the winter where the snow actually acts as an insulator from cold winter temperatures.  Smaller mammals like mice, voles, pikas, and shrews live in the subnivean zone to escape the cold, wind, and predators. 

The smaller mammals create a unique tunnel system to travel around, hunt, and gather food. However, predators like weasels, foxes, coyotes, owls, and wolves, use their amazing senses of smell, hearing, and sight to find these prey below the snow.

Learn more about the interesting Subnivean Zone animals and predators with these winter facts and new member worksheet.

Does your state have a Subnivean Zone?

The Subnivean Zone is found in colder regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including states along the Rocky Mountains, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

Barb shared what she noticed about the subnivean zone creatures in her backyard!

Subnivean Zone Nature Study Fun Facts

  • The Subnivean Zone temperature remains steady around 32 degrees Fahrenheit – even when the surface temperature drops much colder!
  • “Sub” means beneath, and “niv” translates from Latin as snow. 
  • Sublimation happens under the snow when heat from the ground changes the snow from frozen water directly into water vapor. As the vapor cools, it condenses and forms a layer of ice on the snow.

 

Member’s Printable Worksheet

Subnivean Zone Nature Study

Homeschool Nature Study Members will find the new Subnivean Zone Worksheet in their database. Find it in your Winter course. There are so many wonderful winter nature studies for you to enjoy!

Don’t miss this great winter post: How to Create a Winter Garden with Shelter for Wildlife.

 

Learn More About Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study

It’s 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!

 Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Our Homeschool Nature Study members have access to endless year round nature studies, Handbook of Nature Study references, follow up nature journaling activities, notebook pages and resources to inspire and guide you.

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership With Access to ALL Studies!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Post originally written by Barb January 2018, updated with worksheet by Stef Layton, January 2025.

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A Bald Eagle Study for Kids: Comprehensive and Fun!

Learn about this mighty bird with a bald eagle study for kids that includes nature study, journaling and nature craft activities plus hands on art ideas.

This bald eagle study for kids includes resources for observation, journaling, birds of prey facts and more.

Bald Eagle as National Symbol of the United States and America’s National Bird

The Bald Eagle is National Emblem of the United States of America and has been since 1782. The eagle has been considered a symbol of strength since Roman legions used this bird as their symbol. After its adoption as the national emblem, the eagle then was added to government documents, flags, buildings and more. The eagle is part of the Great Seal of the United States as well as the seal of the President of the United States. That seal is also on the one dollar bill.

The bald eagle bird spent time on the endangered list starting in 1978. Its numbers recovered and the bald eagle was removed from the list in 2007.

This bald eagle study for kids includes resources for observation, journaling, birds of prey facts and more.

Bald Eagle Study for Kids

Bald eagles build nests with large sticks. They usually choose to build their nest at the top of a lone tree or on a rock in a very high place. This gives the eagle a great view for hunting.

Why is this bird of prey called a bald eagle? A bald eagle is actually not bald. But the white feathers on its head make it distinct and gives this majestic bird its name.

Enjoy a video all about bald eagles for kids.

Bald Eagle Nature Study for Kids and Other Birds of Prey

Though The Handbook of Nature Study does not include the eagle, we can use so many of the suggestions for other bird of prey.

Use your favorite bird field guide to study the range and habits of the bald eagle.

This bald eagle study for kids includes resources for observation, journaling, birds of prey facts and more.

If you have the opportunity to observe eagles near your home, plan a time to! If not, there are many bird observations and backyard bird activities you can enjoy during your outdoor hour.

See how Barb’s family visited an eagle habitat about 45 minutes from their home.

Members can follow the Study on the Hawk with detailed observations as well as advanced studies.

Amy Law shared these wonderful resources on birds of prey! “My husband has been a falconer for years; so this week’s Outdoor Hour Challenge on hawks is a special one to our family. Through the years, my husband has had a few different kinds of birds of prey. . . Red Tail, Harris Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Gyr Falcon, and a Kestrel. They’re amazing to watch close up, but also so amazing to watch in their natural habitat as well!”

Video by Amy Law can also be viewed on Instagram.

Here are five tips to help you find and study hawks or other birds of prey this week!



1. Birds of prey can be found everywhere. . .in the woods, in fields, along roadsides. It’s not uncommon to find a nest in a neighborhood these days.

2. You can often find Red Tails sitting on the top of utility poles along the roads or up in the tallest tree around. They sit up high, while they’re looking for small animals for food.
3. Kestrels are often seen sitting on telephone wires or on wire fences. These tiny birds of prey are so cute!

4. Especially in winter, look for the birds’ silhouette in tall trees. Their colors will often blend in, but the silhouette is still there.

5. For close up study, often a nature center will have a bird of prey that has been injured and can’t live in the wild anymore. Also, zoos, of course!

Most of all, enjoy studying these beautiful birds together!.

Eagle art lesson by Nana of You ARE an ARTiST

Eagle Nature Journaling and Art Lesson

Our sister site has an eagle nest art lesson that Nana shared in her Forest Nature course in You ARE an ARTiST Clubhouse membership.

This bald eagle study for kids includes resources for observation, journaling, birds of prey facts and more.
This bald eagle study for kids includes resources for observation, journaling, birds of prey facts and more.

Bird Nature Study Activities in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

You can enjoy these resources in Homeschool Nature Study membership:

  • Bird Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum
  • All About Birds Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum
  • Feather Coloring Page
  • Bird Feet Observations
  • Bird Life Cycle

and much more!

Are you ready? Enjoy these Great Backyard Bird Count Homeschool Resources as you watch birds in your backyard this February!

More Bird Homeschool Studies

For your resident ornithologists, besides this bald eagle study for kids, we have even more fun to explore!

Learn More About Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study

Our Homeschool Nature Study members have access to endless year round nature studies, Handbook of Nature Study references, follow up nature journaling activities, notebook pages and resources to inspire and guide you.

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership with Access to ALL Studies!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

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How to Use a Book Basket with Nature Study


The humble book basket is a simple idea that provides powerful opportunities for learning in your homeschool life. Gathering seasonal or themed nature study books into a basket takes a few minutes of preparation but it can provide hours of enjoyment for your family.

Using a book basket with nature study is a simple idea that provides powerful opportunities for learning in your homeschool life.


How To Use a Book Basket with Nature Study: Three Ways a Book Basket Facilitates Learning

Just how can a simple book basket spur on homeschool learning? A book basket:

A Book Basket introduces and allows familiarity to nature study topics

Make sure to read or page through any picture books in the basket at the beginning of the month. Demonstrate how to use field guides (or learn how to use them together with your children).

Reference: If you choose books that fit into your monthly nature study themes, you can refer to the books in the
basket as needed to support or go more in-depth as you work through your weekly topics.

Using a book basket with nature study is a simple idea that provides powerful opportunities for learning in your homeschool life.

A Nature Book Basket Allows for Independent Learning

Leaving the basket out at a level accessible to your children will allow them to study
the books on their own during their free time.

Suggestions for Getting Started with a Nature Book Basket

Use the ideas included in the Outdoor Hour Challenges to spark topics for your basket each month (current topics). There are suggestions for a bird, mammal, flower, and tree to focus your study on each month.

There is usually a link to a list of books and other materials to use during your circle time or to have on your nature shelf or in your Book Basket.

Tips for a Successful Book Basket

  • The trick to making a successful and interesting Book Basket is to rotate the books periodically, keeping it fresh for your children.
  • Don’t overload your basket since it can lead to a large mess! Keep the number of books appropriate to the ages of your children and train them to put the books back when they are finished.
  • Even if you don’t keep your books in a basket, featured books gathered each month and kept on a prominent shelf or placed on a coffee table might entice your children to take a look at some point during the month.
  • For older students, putting the books on a shelf may work better.
Using a book basket with nature study is a simple idea that provides powerful opportunities for learning in your homeschool life.


Extended Nature Study Activity: Narration or Nature Journaling

Ask your child to narrate back a main point after reading any book from your Book Basket. Use that point as a written narration in your nature journal and have your child illustrate the point.

More Learning Inspired by Nature Books

From book lists to nature study references, we have a variety of resources to inspire your learning:

How To Create Simple Nature Displays for Fun Homeschool Learning – Many of our nature treasures were found in our own back yard or neighborhood.

A Homeschool Mom’s Best Tips for Organizing Your Nature Library – Using good nature study reference books and literature will be a huge help in nudging along the seeds of a love nature in your child. To help you find what you need when you need it, these are our best tips for organizing your nature library. As the seasons and years pass, they will dig deep into your nature library and become familiar with so many things.

The Ultimate List of Preschool Nature Study Books – While nothing beats experiencing nature first-hand, preschool nature study books are a vital component of our preschool nature studies. We have used both fiction and non-fiction books to introduce a topic, supplement a topic and study a topic in-depth.

The Best Winter Nature Books for Cozy Homeschooling – These are the best winter nature books for cozy homeschooling days. Includes winter nature study suggestions you can do through your window – or for a quick and refreshing outdoor time.

Using a book basket with nature study is a simple idea that provides powerful opportunities for learning in your homeschool life.

A Summer Nature Themed Book List for Easy Learning – Over the years, our family has built a nature themed library of our favorite and most useful resources. There are picture books featuring the natural world, fiction with a nature theme, and non-fiction reference and activity filled books. Even now with my children all grown and on their own, I use this nature library for my own benefit and enjoyment.

Fall Homeschool Nature Books List – With the changing leaves and beautiful weather upon us, this ultimate list of nature themed books for fall homeschooling is your go-to for the season!

Learn More About Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study

Our Homeschool Nature Study members have access to endless year round nature studies, Handbook of Nature Study references, follow up nature journaling activities, notebook pages and resources to inspire and guide you.

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature STudy Membership with Access to ALL Studies!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

by Barb McCoy, founder of The Outdoor Hour Challenges