This ultimate nature study guide for homeschoolers might be just the nudge you need to get outdoors with your children! With just 10 minutes, nature study can be fun, easy and effective!
When I first started incorporating nature study into our homeschool days, I thought I had to do a lot of prep work and have a specific topic. With experience, I found that is not true.
I also found that while there is plenty of homeschool nature study curriculum, there is a lack of encouragement and guidance specifically for the homeschool mom.
The Ultimate Nature Study Guide for Homeschoolers
This guide is here to encourage YOU! We will show you not only the purpose of using the Handbook of Nature Study but also share how joyful nature study time can be. You will be making memories with your children that you will cherish. And you will learn so much about nature yourself.
Why Use the Handbook of Nature Study?
The author of The Handbook of Nature Study, Anna Botsford Comstock, suggests that nature study be only 10 minutes to half an hour in length. (page 6) I am finding this is a wonderful way to spend a few minutes outside with my children each day….yes we are committing to 10-60 minutes outside per day. We all feel so much more refreshed and it has actually helped us be more focused when we are doing our indoor homeschooling.
This is a BIG book and can be a little intimidating!
Don’t worry, I felt the same way which is why I want to share how The Handbook of Nature Study might be helpful in your homeschool.
Which edition of the Handbook of Nature Study do you use? Where do you find The Handbook of Nature Study book?
The Handbook of Nature Study book by Anna Botsford Comstock is a staple in the Outdoor Hour Challenges we share. This is a wonderful reference guide for you, the homeschool teacher to use. We show you how, HERE!
Homeschool Nature Study: Outdoor Hour Challenges for Learning and Fun!
- Handbook of Nature Study – Barb’s full review
- Outdoor Hour Challenges – Tricia’s review
- Peterson Field Guides for Young Naturalists – Barb’s review
- Everything You Wanted to Know About The Handbook of Nature Study – Heidi Ciravola
The Handbook of Nature Study is a Guide for the Homeschool Mom
Amy Law, homeschool mom of three, shares: “The first time I held my copy of The Handbook of Nature Study in my hands, I was a little overwhelmed at the thickness of it and all the information it contained. But, over the years, it has become a dear and precious friend that continues to teach me about nature.
Six tips for using The Handbook of Nature Study:
- 1. Read the introductory material. It’s so helpful!!!
- 2. Make use of the index in the back.
- 3. Pre-read it, and then tell your kids about it. Don’t just set them lose to read it on their own, or they’ll be overwhelmed.
- 4. Don’t forget to study the detailed drawings! There is much to be learned from those alone.
- 5. A field guide or an internet connection can be helpful to see the plants/animals in color.
- 6. Have fun with it!
I hope this valuable resource becomes a wonderful friend to you, too!
7 Top Tips for Using the Handbook of Nature Study in Your Homeschool – Have you ever wondered how to use The Handbook of Nature Study? Does one look at it have you feeling completely overwhelmed? Here are 7 top tips to help you use The Handbook Of Nature Study In Your Homeschool.
Helpful Tips for Incorporating the Handbook of Nature Study in Your Homeschool – So you have The Handbook of Nature Study on your bookshelf. Are you wondering how to use it? Having used it for a number of years in my homeschool I have a few tips to share with you to help put this fantastic resource to good use!
Handbook of Nature Study: Friend or Foe in Your Homeschool – There it is… The Handbook of Nature Study, sitting on your bookshelf. Now what? It can be intimidating to say the least. Is The Handbook Of Nature Study a friend or foe in your homeschool?
Why Do An Outdoor Hour Challenge?
Here are 7 tips for a successful Outdoor Hour Challenge! We spent a little while observing the weather in our own backyard this week! Summer weather always has something interesting going on for sure!
Tips for Planning Your Outdoor Time
Though it is fun to throw the door open and run outside and see what you can find, planning your nature study times will help you and your children look for certain things throughout the changing seasons. Here are some helps for Planning for Nature Study in Your Homeschool.
Nature Study Resources Made for the Homeschool Mom
A nature study guide series focused on the Outdoor Hour Mom. Yes, this is all about you! As homeschool moms we give…A LOT, which is why it is so important that we carve out a little time to nurture our own well-being. Our vision for the Outdoor Mom series is to inspire you to slow down, find beauty in the ordinary, in celebrating your home, in ordinary everyday tasks; your hobbies, interests and of course, nature journaling, nature and the seasons.
There are Outdoor Mom resources for every month of the year!!
Making Homeschool Nature Study Easy And Effective
If you’re not a member here on the Handbook of Nature Study yet, please consider joining to gain the benefit of having a large nature study library at your fingertips. There are numerous resources available for you to help create the habit of nature study within your family, whether you have preschoolers or high schoolers (yes, you can add nature study to your high school transcript!).
With a nature study calendar for every day of the year, nature curriculum topics to match the learning in your homeschool and the help you need as a homeschool mom, we truly do help make it easy and effective.
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.