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Fall Leaf Activities For Kids: Nature Study For Learning And Fun

These fall leaf activities for kids are a perfect way to study nature throughout the season. Easy to implement and enjoyable for the entire family, this study has options for all ages.

“Make the lesson an investigation and make the pupils feel that they are investigators…The ‘leading thought’ embodies some of the points which should be in the teacher’s mind while giving the lesson; it should not be read or declared to the pupils…The outlines for observations herein given by no means cover all of the observations possible; they are meant to suggest to the teacher observations of her own, rather than to be followed slavishly…If the questions do not inspire the child to investigate, they are useless.”

Handbook of Nature Study, page 23

photo by Amy Law


Fall Leaf Study – Close Up Investigation

Inside Nature Study Preparation Work:

Leaf Study Outdoor Hour Time:

  • Spend your Outdoor Hour time in your own backyard or neighborhood.
  • Look at the various kinds of leaves and have your child point out several that capture their interest.
  • Choose four or five leaves to collect and bring home to look at with the magnifying lens.

Follow-Up Activity for Fall Nature Study:

  • Use the hand lens to make careful observations of your leaves. One at a time have your child describe what he sees as he looks at the leaf carefully. Record your results in your nature journal (or use the notebook page in the ebook).

Advanced and High School Leaf Studies

  • Advanced Follow-Up: Use this LINK and scroll down to the section, “Taking a Closer Look At Plant Cells”. Make your own leaf slides to look at under your microscope. Members – Use the Leaf Morphology page and the notebook page to complete your study.
  • Advanced Follow-Up: Read this article on Wikipedia: Leaf. Read this page that illustrates Leaf Margins and Shapes (love this page with the clear images).

Activities for Pressing Leaves and Leaf Nature Study

Press your leaves to add to your nature journal at a future date. You can watch my YouTube video to learn how to do this with simple household items.

Creating Leaf Prints Nature Activity

How to Make Leaf Rubbings

The Ultimate Guide to Fall Leaf Activities for Your Homeschool

Make beautiful Leaf Prints with Victoria in Homeschool Nature Study Nature Crafts course!

An Example of a Family Fall Leaf Study for All Ages

Tricia’s shares their family-style fall leaf study up close investigation!

Our leaf studies started when the first leaves started to change. We enjoyed the fall colors with a local trip to Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park. We’ve awed each week at the maple at church, watching it turn every beautiful shade from green to yellow to red.

A family-style up close study of fall leaves on homeschool field trips!

One Saturday, we traveled to the next state over to the highest point. We walked and we slowed to soak in the colors.

And earlier this week, we drove about 20 minutes down the road, where we climbed rocks as big as boats under a canopy of colors.

While we’ve been oohing and aahing this whole month at leaves, we didn’t stop to marvel closely at design until we took the Up-Close Leaf Study Challenge with The Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenges.

And while gorgeous leaves had gathered on the kitchen table now and then in an arrangement, Friday morning Middle Girl and I went out early for the very purpose of gathering a variety. Maple, poplar, river birch, oak leaf hydrangea, mimosa.

And while we were out, she spotted our spider.

It had just started to make a new web, using part of the pink string someone had tied.

With our notebook pages at the ready, we hit a problem. Where is the magnifying glass? We couldn’t even find the little plastic one kept in the outside playhouse. *Sigh* “I know!” Middle Girl said, “There’s an app for your iPhone. And I think it’s free.” After a quick search, we downloaded Magnifying Glass with Light and we were in business!

Looking first at a larva on the mimosa leaves…

…Then each choosing a leaf to study up close.

Matching the margins. I heard, “what is venation?” So we looked closely at the veins in each leaf, comparing.

The two youngest girls sketched their leaves up close. Love this notebook page!

Eldest boy compared four different leaves, referencing the shape & arrangement, margins and venation page. That’s when he said, while sketching each leaf…

“That’s the most fun leaf study I’ve ever done.” ~ 12-year-old

Middle Girl discovered you can turn the ‘lens’ around and look at yourself up close!

Technology and nature study.

For the record, we did find our little, plastic magnifying lens (after our study).

As a bonus, we copied some of our favorite leaf colors for our nature journals.

There are many fun art and nature journal ideas for trees and leaves listed below as well!

So many things we discovered by taking the time to look up close! Thanks to an October of beautiful fall colors and Handbook of Nature Study.

Leaf Resources for Homeschool Nature Study Members

Members have all of these leaf studies to enjoy!

  • Outline the Shape + Leaf Coloring Page
  • Leaf Masks Nature Craft Activity
  • Learning Leaf Parts
  • Fall Leaf Study Grid
  • Under the Fallen Leaves Autumn Fun
  • Fall Color Walk with Printable Color Cards
  • Learning About Leaves Outdoor Hour Challenge
  • Seasonal Tree Autumn Comparisons
  • Outdoor Mom – September and October

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!

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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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Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study: The Homeschool Mom’s Guide

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

As August gives way to September and summer slowly slips away to allow autumn to wrap us up in its brilliant display of color, mother turns her attention to planning her fall homeschool.

Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study

In our Charlotte Mason homeschools, autumn is a time of fresh starts, fresh plans and new hope for the forthcoming year.

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

As the season shifts and the days begin to draw in, it seems natural to start our plans by considering our fall nature studies. Nature study intertwines beautifully with other areas of study such as art appreciation, poetry, geography and science. It also gifts the humble homemaker ample opportunity and inspiration to cultivate an atmosphere of coziness within her home(school).

Apples, cider, crisp leaves, corn mazes, frost and cold air are all part of the season and simply beg to be explored, studied and brought indoors!

Activities For Fall Nature Study In Your Homeschool

Tree and Leaf Studies Perfect for Fall

I think we all agree that you simply cannot embrace all that fall is without planning a seasonal tree and leaf study. Autumn days are filled with colored leaves, falling leaves, raking leaves, and jumping into great big piles of fallen leaves. Have a look at some of our wonderful tree and leaf studies from our archives and from our own personal blogs:

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

Downloadable Resources

Pumpkins and Apples for Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study

As the pumpkins ripen in the fields and the apples in the orchards, local farmers open up their farms to the public providing the perfect opportunity to plan a ‘pumpkin and apple homeschool’ week. Enjoy a trip out to the farm and pick out a few pumpkins and basket of apples. Then come home and bake a pumpkin or apple pie and enjoy reading some seasonal read-aloud books as you learn more about these delightful seasonal fruits.

This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

Fall Fungi

“In times of old, not only was it believed that toads sat on them (toadstools), but that fairies danced upon them and used them for umbrellas. The poisonous qualities of some species made them also a natural ingredient of the witch’s cauldron. But science, in these days, brings revelation concerning these mysterious plants which are far more wonderful than the web which superstition wove about them in the days of yore.”

Anna Botsford Comstock, Handbook of Nature Study, page 714
This comprehensive guide to Fall Charlotte Mason Nature Study includes activities and resources for family learning.

As can be seen from the excerpt from the Handbook of Nature Study that we have long held the view that mushrooms are rather mysterious, enchanting and quite fascinating. We can also agree that most of us regard mushrooms and toadstools with suspicion and caution, and for good reason. There are many poisonous mushrooms out there, and some of them are deadly. Names such as ‘death cap’, ‘destroying angel’ and ‘funeral bell’, warn us to steer clear!

One of our favourite fall activities in our homeschool is to go on a fungus spotting walk through out local woodlands. There is something quite atmospheric and wonderful about walking through a woodland in autumn all wrapped up in our hand knits and kicking through fallen leaves as we hunt for fungi and mushrooms.

Here are a few posts to get you started as well as some lovely free downloadable spotter sheets for you to take with you.

plant pot mushrooms nature craft

Downloadable resources

Keeping a Nature Journal This Fall

We all know that Charlotte Mason encouraged her students to keep a Nature Notebook or Nature Diary. These notebooks were inscribed with fine prose and illustrated in delicate watercolours.

According to Charlotte’s recommendations, all illustrations should include captions: the Latin name of the specimen, it it’s available, as well as the familiar name. A flower and bird list can be kept at the back of the Notebook, as well as other lists which may interest the individual child such as fungi, insects, trees etc.

These notebooks should be considered a part of a living education where the child’s relationship with nature can be expressed within its pages. Try to avoid criticism, unless it is to give helpful suggestions.

Anna Botsford Comstock said of notebooks, “of whatever quality, are precious beyond price to their owners. And why not? For the represent what cannot be bought or sold – personal experience in the happy world of outdoors.”

The Nature Notebook is a way for our children (and us) to connect better with nature and to learn its patterns. If you have not dipped your toes into the world of nature journaling, I would encourage you to dive in this fall. You do not need to invest in expensive art supplies, just grab a blank notebook, some pencils and get out there. You can purchase an inexpensive field watercolor set of paints in the coming weeks but for now I would encourage you to just take the leap and do a quick sketch of what you can see before you. Don’t judge your drawing, you are not an artist yet. You are a scientist, simply recording what you see in this moment of time.

Here are some helpful links for your adventure in nature journaling.

Below are some additional Charlotte Mason resources for your homeschool. We hope that you have a wonderful fall season of exploring and learning outdoors.

Additional Charlotte Mason Resources For Your Homeschool

Endless Access to Outdoor Hour Curriculum in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

We are sure that this fall Charlotte Mason nature study guide will keep you very busy however, we would encourage you to join the Homeschool Nature Study membership. With our membership you will have Homeschool Nature Study resources at your fingertips and can incorporate nature study at your family’s own pace.

You can choose guided or independent nature study with the membership monthly calendar prompts and printables.

We have monthly, quarterly and annual homeschool nature study memberships and you will enjoy endless access to everything including our exclusive Nature Craft Course, Nature Journaling Course and The Outdoor Mom Course!

Be Inspired. Be Encouraged. Get Outdoors!

Join the Homeschool Nature Study membership Now
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Picture Books in Nature Study: A Parent’s Guide

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

Photo by Amy Law

Reading books is at the root of most of our learning, and nature study is no exception. When we first started homeschooling my children were just six and nine years old and reading aloud was part of our nature study. Three years later my children and I still enjoy reading books to enhance our nature studies.

Field guides are important to have on hand for identification and information, but I also think there’s a place for books meant to be read cover-to-cover. Picture books provide us with beautiful photos or artwork, information presented at a child’s level, and sometimes even a story interwoven with the facts. Reading nature-themed literature isn’t a substitute for time spent outside in nature, but it can be a wonderful addition to direct observation and experience.

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

What Are The Benefits of Reading Picture Books in Coordination With Our Nature Studies?

  1. In books you can learn about things that would be very difficult to observe in nature, like the migration of monarch butterflies or how bees dance to show where to find nectar.
  2. Pictures and information in a book can encourage you to look for things in nature, like animal tracks or leaf and bud scale scars on tree branches.
  3. Books can help bring new understand about things that seem common. For instance, seeing seeds traveling on our dog’s fur we have a sense of amazement when we remember that is how plants can spread to a new area!

Nature Book Recommendations

Sometimes I look up a specific nature study topic, and I might even request one through inter-library loan. Other times we peruse the nonfiction section and grab a book that looks interesting. Keep in mind that some books may not be in the nonfiction section—we’ve found some wonderful nature-themed books in the beginning reader and picture book section of our library.


We regularly utilize series like The Magic School Bus or authors like Gail Gibbons or Seymour Simon.

We also enjoy these series that offer books at various reading levels:

  • Let’s Read and Find Out
  • National Geographic Kids Readers
  • DK Readers
  • Blastoff Readers: Backyard Wildlife
  • Bookworms’ Guess Who? series.

You can accomplish two goals at once when your early reader practices with nature-themed books!

Nature Study Books to Enjoy In Your Homeschool

Here are some specific books we’ve enjoyed:

  • Outside and Inside Trees by Sandra Markle
  • Animal Tracks by Arthur Dorros
  • Planting the Wild Garden by Kathryn O. Galbraith
  • The Cloud Book by Tomie de Paola
  • All About Owls by Jim Arnosky
  • Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane by Victoria Sherrow

More Nature Picture Books

Planting a Rainbow Book Activities – After reading the book, my daughter worked on a color-matching game and did a flower craft.

Out of School and Into Nature: The Anna Comstock Story is a beautiful picture book biography about the author of The Handbook of Nature Study. Anna Botsford Comstock was passionate about children getting out of the classroom and into nature to learn first hand about our beautiful world.

Charlotte Mason Picture Book biography: The Teacher Who Revealed Worlds of Wonder

Picture books in nature study work well for all ages. This guide has everything you need to get started.

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

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

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Heidi homeschools her two children in Maine using an eclectic mix including Charlotte Mason’s ideas, quality literature and hands-on learning. She strives to show her children that learning is an exciting, life long adventure. She shares their experiences on her blog, Home Schoolroom.

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Hummingbird Nature Study Activities For Kids

Did you know that there are over 300 species of hummingbirds? These tiny, powerful creatures are fascinating to watch! Enjoy a hummingbird nature study and learn all about these tiny creatures!

Did you know that there are over 300 species of hummingbirds? These tiny, powerful creatures are fascinating to watch! Enjoy a hummingbird nature study and learn all about these tiny creatures!

Hummingbird Nature Study Activities For Kids

One of the first activities we did was to make “nectar” for our hummingbird feeder. We added 4 parts water to 1 part sugar in a pan and heated it until it was boiling and the sugar was dissolved. We let it cool before pouring into our feeder. You might enjoy this on making a hummingbird feeder.

Make a Hummingbird Feeder

My girls were excited to hang it in our tree by the window. On our to-do list is to also plant a hummingbird garden.

While an older video, you will definitely enjoy this on feeding hummingbirds during migration.

And, to inspire you more, enjoy this hummingbird filling station!

Learning About Hummingbirds

We learned many facts about hummingbirds and made a paper bag hummingbird nature journal. Did you know that hummingbirds are the only bird that can fly backwards? We’re also trying to keep track of what time of day we see our hummingbird— morning, afternoon, or evening.

We enjoyed reading Little Green (geared more toward toddlers but it is a cute book suitable for pre-k/1st grade too. ) We still plan on doing the painting activity that is listed in that book! 🙂 We also played a hummingbird game. We had water bottle flowers in the backyard and my little hummingbirds had to fly to their color water bottle and get nectar.

Hummingbirds: Toddler to First Grade Unit Study

Hummingbirds - toddler to first grade unit study! I created all the printables for our hummingbird unit and thought others might enjoy this hummingbird nature study too. There are over 20 pages of printables and activities included. I did all the work so that you can just print and go!

I created all the printables for our hummingbird unit and thought others might enjoy this hummingbird nature study too. There are over 20 pages of printables and activities included. I did all the work so that you can just print and go!

Hummingbirds Outdoor Hour Challenges for All Ages

There are two Outdoor Hour Challenges included in the Handbook of Nature Study in Homeschool Nature Study membership:

  • Green Birds – Ruby Throated, Black Chinned and Anna’s Hummingbirds in the All About Birds Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum. This includes hummingbird flight plus the mama hummingbird and babies study and more!
  • Summer Hummingbirds and Nests – This is a favorite nature study topic for so many families. If you have a hummingbird feeder, you can’t help but fall in love with these sweet nectar-seeking birds. They’re so colorful and graceful and so enjoyable to watch. You can’t help but be amazed at the speed at which hummingbirds flap their wings and fly up, down, and all around.

Use the ideas in this nature study to learn more about hummingbirds from the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock and the internet links provided. Follow up with a nature journal entry.

Did you know that there are over 300 species of hummingbirds? These tiny, powerful creatures are fascinating to watch! Enjoy a hummingbird nature study and learn all about these tiny creatures!

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

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

Enjoy This Hummingbird Unit Study and Access to All Studies in Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

These are just a few of the activities we did. What I love about nature studies is that it is never over. Every time we look out our window and see a little hummingbird it brings the opportunity for more observations, questions, and conversations.

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

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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5 Tips for Staying Consistent With Nature Study

These five tips will help you stay consistent with nature study in the new year – or any time of year!

Enjoy these five tips to stay consistent with nature study in the new year – or any time of year!

5 Tips for Staying Consistent With Nature Study

Nature study can be a wonderful part of any education, providing connection to the world around us, real world scientific discovery, and a chance to connect as a family. Here are 5 ways to make it a consistent priority in your days.

Know your Why!

Why ARE you doing nature study? Is it just to fill up a slot in the day, or do you have a specific purpose for it? We do nature study because it is a vital part of the way we study science!

Have a plan for a specific time for nature study.

This will look different for different people, and may change in different seasons. For us, it is late afternoon in the seasons of shorter days, and after dinner in the seasons of longer days. For those that have littles at home, the morning might work best.

Don’t be in a rush!

Give plenty of time for what you are doing! Whether you’re in your backyard or out on a trail, if children are being rushed, they really can’t observe.

Keep notebooking supplies, nature study books, and field guides near at hand.

This allows you to not spend too much time gathering supplies when you’re ready to write/draw your observations. You are ready when the opportunity arises!

Have fun with it!

Not only are you learning, but you’re making memories that you’ll share with your children for a lifetime!

Valuable Support For Your Homeschool Nature Study

We’ve heard from families that they were reluctant to start a nature study plan, but, they found that having a focus each week actually helped them to stay regular at getting outside. It also helped them be better at taking a few minutes to learn about an object they encountered, even if it wasn’t the original aim for getting outdoors.

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

We make it easy with resources you can use at your own pace and on your own schedule. Or, you may choose to follow our annual nature study plans closely and have everything at your fingertips.

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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7 Tips for Homeschool Nature Study at a Creek

Have a fun adventure exploring a spot close to home! Here are our best tips for nature study at a creek.

Have a fun adventure exploring a spot close to home! Here are our best tips for nature study at a creek.

Seven tips for homeschool nature study at a creek

  1. If it’s well-shaded, go on a hot day. It’s amazing to see the temperature drop when you start wading. God’s air-conditioning. 😉
  2. Grab a friend or a cousin to go with you! You never know what they will find, too!
  3. Take your time. There is always so much to see in this environment, but sometimes you have to take a little more time to look closely.
  4. Bring along a net and a bucket to help you catch water creatures and observe them more closely.
  5. Don’t forget to gently release the animals where you found them! (Did you see how fast that stick bug disappeared when we let him go?!)
  6. Check the shoreline for insects and other animals that like to live near a creek.
  7. Keep going back to the same spot every once in a while! It’s so fun to see the changing seasons in one place, and learn what you’ll find there at different times of the year.

by Amy Law

A Year Long Brook Homeschool Nature Study

November (or any time of year) is a lovely time to begin a year long study of a creek or brook. We hope that you all have a very blessed Thanksgiving with your friends and family. After all that preparation and fun, a gentle walk beside your local creek or brook might be in order.

Have a fun adventure exploring a spot close to home! Here are our best tips for nature study at a creek.

Everything you need to guide you through starting a year long homeschool nature study on your local brook or stream can be found for our members in the November Outdoor Hour Challenges post. Let’s not waste anymore time, bundle up and let’s get outdoors!

While you are at it, Celebrate National Hiking Day in November!

Support For Your Homeschool Nature Study

We’ve heard from families that they were reluctant to start a nature study plan, stating that they thought it would restrict their freedom to focus on one topic. But, they found that having a focus each week actually helped them to stay regular at getting outside and it helped them be better at taking a few minutes to learn about an object they encountered, even if it wasn’t the original aim for getting outdoors.

Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership!

We make it easy with resources you can use at your own pace and on your own schedule. Or, you may choose to follow our annual nature study plans closely and have everything at your fingertips.

Have a fun adventure exploring a spot close to home! Here are our best tips for nature study at a creek.

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

-by Amy Law

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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Homeschool Learning Styles with Astronomy: Nature Study at Night

Nature study is most successful when you allow your children to make connections that are meaningful and fit their style of learning. I invite you to think about the ways you can adapt a night sky study to embrace the ways your child learns the best.

“When I say that life should be full of living, I mean that we should be in touch and able to relate with some genuine interest no matter where we are, what we hear, or what we see. This kind of interest isn’t something we give to children…. The question isn’t how much a student knows after he’s completed his education, but how much he cares, and how many categories of things he cares about.”

Charlotte Mason

Nature Study At Night: Learning Styles Printable

I’ve prepared a helpful printable for our members to download that shares some ideas for night sky study by learning style. No one fits neatly into one category so consider combining suggested activities from several sections. (Members, find this in your Planning Resources course when logged in).

The Learning Styles printable includes information for these type of learners:

  • auditory/musical
  • verbal/linguistic
  • mathematical/logic
  • visual/spatial
  • kinesthetic
  • interpersonal
  • intrapersonal
  • naturalist
  • existential/spiritual
Find Out More About Homeschool Nature Study Membership HERE!

With just a little preparation, you can get your family started with meaningful and fun night time nature study.

Eclipse Nature Study Activities and More Night Time Studies

A solar eclipse is a great learning opportunity. Use these fun solar eclipse activities for your homeschool and make memories for lifetime with your family. Find ideas and a free art lesson, here.

Spectacular Night Sky Nature Study Ideas with a Free Printable

Take some time this next week to get outside at night and enjoy a beautiful night sky homeschool nature study. Allow plenty of time for your eyes to adjust to the darkness and just enjoy gazing up at the heavens. Use some of these suggestions to get started with some simple night sky observations. Find more ideas here.

Stargazing: Perseids Meteor Shower Homeschool Ideas

If you aren’t familiar with the Perseid Meteor Shower, it is one of the brightest and longest-lasting meteor showers. And, it happens in August, so it’s usually easy to view because the weather is warm, and the sky is likely to be reasonably clear.  Barb McCoy, founder of the Outdoor Hour Challenges, shares some Perseids Meteor Shower encouragement and a journal page in the Spectacular Night Sky Study post.

Nature study is most successful when you allow your children to make connections that are meaningful and fit their style of learning. I invite you to think about the ways you can adapt a night sky study to embrace the ways your child learns the best.

More Nature Study for Different Learning Styles

You will want to also check out a Homeschool Bird Study for Different Learning Styles.

Nature Study Crafts for Kids: Easy Activities for Learning and Fun!

Plant Life Study: Learning the Parts of a Flower

Join Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

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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Neighborhood Nature Walks With Young Children

One of my favorite ways to introduce science to my children is through nature walks. Nature walks allow for hands-on learning, observation, and conversation. Not only that, it allows my children to appreciate and have a love for their natural surroundings.

One of my favorite ways to introduce science to my children is through nature walks. Nature walks allow for hands-on learning, observation, and conversation. Not only that, it allows my children to appreciate and have a love for their natural surroundings.

Neighborhood Nature Walks With Young Children

Nature walks do not need to be complicated. As a mom with four young children, I need to be close to home. In order for my family to plan nature walks in our week, it has to be easy or it just won’t happen. Many times all my family does is step outside! Our own neighborhood has its own natural treasures to find.

Nature Study And Toddlers

One very windy day, a small evergreen tree caught the attention of my 1yr. old. It was swaying in the wind, almost inviting her to come over and inspect it. She stood there for awhile, just touching the pine needles and smiling. Nature observation happened right in our own backyard (Of course not everything in nature can be touched! Watch small children closely.)

In our area, maple seeds blanket the area in the fall. Since these seeds are everywhere we look, I had my daughter grab a handful so that we could observe them. What were these things? Why do you think they have the long “tail”? What happens when we throw one up in the air?

Then we removed the covering to find the seed. What color is the seed? What do you think will grow from this seed? What does a seed need in order to grow? These were some of the questions that were asked as we observed maple seeds right in our own backyard.

When we were cleaning up our backyard, I lifted a flower pot and found a slug. I called my 3-year old over to see. What is this? Which end is the head? What are those two pointy-things at the top? (optic tentacles) What do you think they are used for?

My daughters have their own paper bag nature journal. The inside pages have a place where they can draw what they have observed on their walk. They can also glue nature items, or collect items and place them in the bag. There are so many ways to use paper bag books and they are the perfect size for preschoolers.

Get Your FREE Nature Journal Paper Bag Book Pages HERE!

Children Engaging With Nature Can Be Effortless

Sometimes though, I need to step away and just let my children enjoy nature on their own without the purposeful direction and questions. When I do this, I find they usually come up with questions on their own that we talk about and take time to study later.

Enjoy ALL of our preschool nature studies plus access to the Outdoor Hour Challenges curriculum for the whole family in Homeschool Nature Study Membership.

Explore Homeschool Nature Study Membership Now!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

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

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September Nature Study Activities: Signs Of Fall

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

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

photo by Amy Law

Signs of Fall September Nature Study Activities

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

Some fall signs to look for:

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

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

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

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

September Nature Study Plans with the Outdoor Hour Challenges

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

Enjoy Fall Outdoor Hour Challenges with The Handbook of Nature Study

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

and SO much more!

Fall Nature Crafts for Homeschool Families

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

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

Start a Year Long Nature Study

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

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

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

The Joys of Fall Homeschool Nature Study Activities

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

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

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

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

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

Explore Homeschool Nature Study Membership Today!

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

Find Nature Study Activities for each month of the year!

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

Outdoor Hour Challenges for families since 2008!

Join other homeschool families growing a love of nature with Outdoor Hour Challenges.

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