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Fall Nature Study Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers

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

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

Fall Nature Study Ideas for Preschoolers and Toddlers

I don’t know about you, but fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love the crisp, cool weather that is not too hot and not too cold. I love the radiant beauty associated with the changing of the leaves, when everything around you sports varying hues of golds, reds, yellows, and browns. I love the attire associated with the weather as well – cozy sweaters, sassy boots, and cute scarves. Everything about it is wonderful.

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

Go for Nature Walks

Fall is the perfect time to go for a walk around your community or even go for a hike in the woods. As you are walking around, teach your kids how to keep an eye (and ear) out for various aspects of nature. Tell them to listen to the birds chirping and the sound of gurgling streams. Take opportunities to point out squirrels collecting nuts and explain how they are preparing for hibernation. There is almost always something of interest going on around you – you just have to take the time to pay attention.

Check out Neighborhood Nature Walks With Young Children

Create a Nature Box or Scrapbook

If your child is the type to enjoy keeping mementos of their experiences, you could help them decorate a box or scrapbook for them to store and display the things that they find during your nature walks. Many kids love collecting things like nuts, uniquely shaped rocks, feathers, leaves, and flowers that they find. It would also be a great way for you to come home and do some research about each of the items to teach them more about their little treasures. Here’s a great video tutorial on making a paper bag nature journal for toddlers and preschoolers.

Keep an Art Journal

If your child is more in the camp of ‘observing and not disturbing’, a great alternative to a nature box or scrapbook is an art journal. You can help them to create one by drawing pictures of what they observe (or even snapping a picture) and jotting down little notes about them. This enables them to have a keepsake of their own without actually taking bits and pieces of nature home with them.

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

Identify Trees and Leaves

Grab a tree guide and help your child learn about and identify the various types of trees that grow in your area. Talk about how some trees produce flowers, nuts, or fruit. Which trees are the tallest or oldest trees in your area? Are there any trees that are indigenous to your area? Point them out and discuss why those trees might only be found in your region (a great way to talk about habitats and climate.) As Fall progresses, and more leaves fall to the ground, you could even help them identify which trees the different leaves come from.

leaf rubbing

Do Leaf Rubbings

Another fun activity to do while you are out and about is to collect different types of leaves and then bring them home to do leaf rubbings. Not sure what this is? Check out Barb’s how to post and video plus this wonderful tutorial.

Go Bird-watching

Have a lot of birds in your area? Take some time to sit out in your yard and have fun observing and identifying the different types of birds that come to visit. You could even try to entice more birds to stop by with one of these DIY bird feeders. For even more bird-themed activities, check out our Bird Study for Different Learning Styles post.

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.

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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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.

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.

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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Planting a Rainbow Book Activities: Flower Craft and Nature Game

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

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

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

Planting a Rainbow File-folder Game:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Planting a Rainbow Flower Nature Craft

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

Plant a Rainbow Garden and Book Extensions

1. Plant your own  rainbow garden.

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

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

3. Go on a nature color walk.

Be inspired. Be encouraged. Get outdoors!

More Nature Crafts For Kids With The Homeschool Nature Study Membership

Nature Study Crafts for Kids: Easy Activities for Learning and Fun! Nature study crafts for kids are a hands on way to learn. What beautiful and easy activities for learning and FUN! Let us show you how.

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

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

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

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

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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Nature Crafts for Kids: Easy Preschool Science Nature Journals

My daughters have their own paper bag nature journal. The inside pages have a place where they can draw what they have observed on our nature walk. This is a perfect nature craft for kids!

Preschool Science Through Nature Study

They can also glue nature items, or collect items and place them in the bag. We have several nature flashcards that were purchased last year at for less than a dollar. When we’ve found one of the items on the flashcard (i.e. an ant) we place that card in the bag or on the page as a reference sheet.

There are so many ways to use paper bag books and they are the perfect size for preschoolers.

How to Make a Homemade Nature Journal From a Paper Bag

Paper bag journals are so easy to make and are a great size for little children to handle. Watch the video below for directions.

All of Maureen’s Preschool Nature Study resources are now included in Homeschool Nature Study membership! Get your free sample, below.

I just love using paper bag books as nature journals! It is just the right size for little preschool hands. They also can be customized in so many different ways that no one book will look alike. You can include observation pages, a song page, a cut-and-paste label-it page, and more.

Free Homemade Nature Journal Paper Bag Pages

Simply fill out the form to receive your free printable Nature Journal Paper Bag Pages, below!

Get Your Preschool Nature Journal Pages!

Subscribe to get your free, printable Preschool Nature Journal Pages.

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

    More Nature Crafts For Kids With The Homeschool Nature Study Membership

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

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

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

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

    With FREE printable pages! This preschool science nature journal is a perfect nature craft for young kids. They can draw what they have observed on your nature walk.

    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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    Homeschool Nature Study Printables for Toddlers and Preschoolers

    Enjoy these preschool printables alongside our Delightful Preschool Homeschool Nature Study Curriculum!

    Enjoy these homeschool nature study preschool printables alongside our Delightful Preschool Homeschool Nature Study Curriculum!

    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!

    Nature Study Printables For Toddlers And Preschoolers: An Overview

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

    Table of Contents:

    Nature Printables for Preschoolers

    *Debunking Preschool Science Myths
    *Neighborhood Nature Walks with Young Children
    *10 Tips for Studying Nature with Toddlers and Preschoolers
    *Printable I Spy Cards

    • Animal Edition
    • Spring Edition
    • Garden Edition
    • Fall Edition
    • Winter Edition

    *Printable Nature Booklets

    • Ants
    • Butterflies
    • Fish
    • Worms
    • Nature
    • Frogs
    • Ladybugs

    F.A.Q.’s About Nature Study Printables For Toddlers And Preschoolers

    Is this a preschool science curriculum?

    No. This eBook provides printables to use alongside Homeschool Nature Study’s Preschool Curriculum on nature walks and nature studies.

    What tools will I need to use these printables?

    Copypaper and cardstock. Basic supplies such as binoculars and a magnifying glass are fun tools to have on hand but are not necessary. If you don’t have frogs, butterflies, ants, worms, or ladybugs on hand to observe there are kits available for purchase.

    How do you make the preschool nature journals?

    How to make easy preschool science nature journals.

    Fun Preschool Learning in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

    These wonderful preschool printables are included in our Delightful Preschool Homeschool Nature Study Plans in Homeschool Nature Study membership!

    Don’t miss the free sample of preschool curriculum in this post!

    Delightful Homeschool Nature Study Preschool Curriculum

    Enjoy relaxed preschool nature study plans for your homeschool with nature table suggestions, simple nature study activities, field trip ideas, images to print, coloring pages, and so much more. What a privilege to introduce children to the glorious world God created!

    Have children eager to be outside? You can think of the earliest years outdoors with your children as the way to grow a love and curiosity about the natural world. This habit develops gradually over their childhood. The earlier you start building a habit of nature study in your family, the easier it will be to encourage children to be engaged in nature study.

    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

    Enjoy these homeschool nature study preschool printables alongside our Delightful Preschool Homeschool Nature Study Curriculum!
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    Delightful Preschool Nature Study Plans for Your Homeschool

    Enjoy relaxed preschool nature study plans for your homeschool with nature table suggestions, simple nature study activities, field trip ideas, images to print, coloring pages, and so much more. What a privilege to introduce children to the glorious world God created!

    Have children eager to be outside? You can think of the earliest years outdoors with your children as the way to grow a love and curiosity about the natural world. This habit develops gradually over their childhood. The earlier you start building a habit of nature study in your family, the easier it will be to encourage children to be engaged in nature study.

    Don’t miss the free sample of preschool curriculum, below!

    Delightful Preschool Nature Study Plans for Your Homeschool

    Delightful Preschool Nature Study Plans for Your Homeschool

    Preschool nature ideas for each month of the year include:

    • an animal, bird, flower and tree of the month – that is four nature studies each month!
    • nature table suggestions and items for free play
    • image cards
    • monthly activities
    • library books suggestions
    • casual monthly nature study
    • preschool hands on activities for active learning: singing drawing, tasting

    “..the mother must not miss this opportunity of being outdoors to train the children to have seeing eyes, hearing ears and seeds of truth deposited into their minds to grow and blossom on their own in the secret chambers of their imaginations.”

    Charlotte Mason, Volume 1, page 45

    These Outdoor Nature Study Plans Can Be Used Family Style

    Most of these nature study plans point to existing Outdoor Hour Challenges in our membership. The new Preschool course includes nature studies plus the plans refer to spring, summer, autumn and winter topics.

    These are studies the whole family can explore! So these preschool plans are a great place for the whole family to start with.

    48 Outdoor Hour Challenges!

    But what if there is a rainy day and you can’t get outdoors? The activities in our Preschool Nature Study Plans will give you new ideas for fun learning.

    Sample a Month of Nature Study Plans For Preschool

    Try a free sample of the preschool nature study plans included in Homeschool Nature Study Membership. This sample includes a month of nature study plans! Get your copy in the form, below:

    Get Your Preschool Nature Study Curriculum Sample!

    Subscribe to get your free Preschool Nature Study Curriculum Sample for Homeschool.

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

      Preschool Nature Study Curriculum Included in Homeschool Nature Study Membership

      Our Preschool Nature Study Curriculum is the newest addition to the Homeschool Nature Study membership. There are even more resources coming to members in the coming months!

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

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

      You might also like:

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

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      Nature Study and Toddlers

      If you are wondering about nature study and toddlers, here are some great ideas for your homeschool. I recently helped a friend with some advice on how to have nature study with your school-age children with your sweet toddler tagging along. I thought you all might like to hear what I shared with her.

      Homeschool Nature Study and Toddlers


      In our own homeschool and before any nature study, I would send the boys outside and let them play. I find that if they get that initial burst of energy out they are ready to get down and focus on something. I would go with them and just wander the yard. I might find something of interest and call them over. “Hey guys look at this!”

      It worked sometimes. Or they would do the same to me. “Look at that spider on the slide mom, do you know what it is?”

      This was usually followed but utter horror by me because I am not a “bug person”. I would usually go over and look at it and then I would point something out like how many legs it had or what color it was.

      Nature Journals When You Have Toddlers

      Later when we were finished playing, we would go inside and I would pull out the journals. They could draw whatever they wanted as long as they narrated back to me what it was. I would write the labels or as they got older, they would write the labels. If we felt like it, we would look up in a field guide whatever it was we had drawn. I have a lot of the Audubon field guides so we could usually find something in there. I also found the internet to be a great help with nature study and toddlers.

      More Homeschool Ideas For Toddlers

      If you are wondering about nature study and toddlers, here is a BIG list of ideas for your homeschool. It's all about getting outside!

      Especially with nature study and toddlers, it is not so much about the journals, it’s about the experience of being out-of-doors! It’s great when it culminates in a nature journal entry but if it doesn’t….no big deal. You said you wanted to instill a love for nature and you could quite possibly be already doing that just by focusing a bit of time outside. Let your kids direct you when you have the time to wander the yard or the neighborhood. Don’t expect anything and don’t try to force it.

      We handle nature journals a little differently now that they are older but you get the idea. Take a walk or just go to the park, there will always be something to draw their attention to. With nature study and toddlers, they have to learn to notice things and then it is easier.

      Also remember you have *years* to work on your nature journal. My daughter that is 21 years old still works in her nature journal. It is sort of a “life project”.

      Enjoy God’s creation! Nature study and toddlers are a fun mix!

      -Written by Barb, May 2008. Updated by Tricia January 2022.

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      Preschool Homeschool Nature Study for Young People

      Here you can learn how you to easily start preschool homeschool nature study. Nature study for young people is a joyous time of discovery and a time of introducing children to the beautiful world God created!

      Think of the earliest years outdoors with your children as the way to start a valuable habit. I have seen in my family that developing a love and curiosity about the natural world developed gradually over their childhood. The earlier you start building a habit of nature study in your family, the easier it will be to encourage children who are eager to be outside and engaged in nature study. Here are a few more ideas on building the nature study habit at an early age.

      How you can easily start preschool homeschool nature study. Nature study for young people is a joyous time of discovery of the beautiful world God created!
      Photo by Amy Law

      Preschool Homeschool Nature Study

      “..the mother must not miss this opportunity of being outdoors to train the children to have seeing eyes, hearing ears and seeds of truth deposited into their minds to grow and blossom on their own in the secret chambers of their imaginations.”

      Charlotte Mason, Volume 1, page 45

      I believe in the younger grades that our responsibility as parents is to open the eyes of our children to the world around them, exposing them to real things and real places.

      I have long said here on this blog that it makes no sense to me to teach our children about the rain forest if they haven’t even learned about the trees and animals in their local habitat. The younger years of preschool homeschool nature study are the time to get outside and take walks and look at real things up close. The preschool years are the time to form memories and impressions. There is a time for books and textbooks (in limited amounts) but that can come later.

      “As soon as a child is old enough, he should keep his own nature notebook for his enjoyment. Every day’s walk will give something interesting to add–three squirrels playing in a tree, a bluejay flying across a field, a caterpillar crawling up a bush, a snail eating a cabbage leaf, a spider suddenly dropping from a thread to the ground, where he found ivy and how it was growing and what plants were growing with it, and how ivy manages to climb.”
      Charlotte Mason Volume 1 Home Education page 54.

      homeschool nature journaling with preschoolers and young students

      Thoughts on Nature Study from Charlotte Mason

      • The skill of drawing should not be addressed in the nature notebook. pg. 55
      • If the child is too young to write, the mother should do it. pg. 58
      • Encourage your children to sit quietly and patiently and to look closely. pg. 57
      • Some children are born naturalists but all have a natural curiousity that can be encouraged. pg. 58
      • Most children will think of a million things to put in his nature notebook. pg 55
      Learn how you can easily start preschool homeschool nature study. Nature study for young people is a joyous time of discovery and introducing children to the beautiful world God created!

      Some of My Own Observations on Preschool Nature Study

      • It takes my children a long time to explore outdoors and they can do it very well without my interfering. I try to follow their lead and not rush them.
      • I need to participate in the nature study myself. I try to model how to find a subject for my notebook and really observe the object.
      • Drawing the object in the notebook is the last step in really “seeing” the object.
      • There is no use in forcing a child to work in a nature journal. Regular exposure to the outdoor life will eventually lead to a desire to keep a record of what they see that interests them.
      • Every nature journal is unique to the owner. I tend to record scenes in my journal. My daughter usually finds something pretty to draw. My boys find “things” to record in their journals like sticks, bugs, leaves, and seeds.
      • Don’t limit your journals to sketches. Sometimes we include photos in our journals. We have taken rubbings of bark or leaves. We have even taped small objects into our journals. Variety in our journals make them more interesting.

      It will always be a joy to look back on the sketches and remember what fun you had exploring the outdoors. It’s homeschool nature study the gentle way.

      Nature Study Year Round Support for Your Homeschool Family

      We would love for your family to join us for the Outdoor Hour Challenges! We will help you bring the Handbook of Nature Study to Life in Your Homeschool! The Getting Started ebook is available in every level of membership here on Homeschool Nature Study. It provides access to Outdoor Hour Challenges curriculum and tons of resources to enrich your homeschool.

      This post first published by Barb May 2008. Updated January 2022.

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      Handbook of Nature Study Newsletter – August 2014 Preschool

      HNS Newsletter August 2014 Cover Button

      August 2014 – Preschool Nature Study

      Please read the following explanation outlining how to get this month’s newsletter.

      The newsletter link is not in this email but will come separately. 

      If you don’t receive the separate email with the download link, you probably aren’t subscribed to the blog yet. This will take less than a minute to do if you follow the steps below.

      • You will need to go to the Handbook of Nature Study, look to the top right corner for the box to type in your preferred email address, and then confirm the email that comes to your email inbox.
      • Once you subscribe, you will receive a thank you email from me with the download link.

      This month’s newsletter link will be available only during the month of August so be sure to download it before 8/31/14.

      Remember! All of the archived and current newsletters are available as part of the Ultimate Naturalist Library…every level!

      Contents of this edition of the newsletter include: 

      • 4 articles focused on preschool nature study and activities
      • August Nature Journal Topper printable
      • New Series! Preschool Nature Table Ideas! Each month will have ideas for creating a little nature study opportunity for your young ones using a nature table or shelf.
      • My favorite links for the month

      Please note that Ultimate Naturalist and Journey level members have access to members only printables each month in addition to the newsletter printables. You will need to log into your account and then go to the “Other Releases” section.

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      Book Review: Fifteen Minutes Outside-365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect With Your Kids

      All those years ago when our family started implementing the idea to go outside for just fifteen minutes at a time, we could never have imagined all the things we would find to learn about and enjoy as we spent just a little time each day together in our own backyard.


      Rebecca Cohen has written a gem of a book, Fifteen Minutes Outside: 365 Ways to Get Out of the House and Connect with Your Kids, which explores this idea even more as she made a promise to herself to get outside for at least fifteen minutes each day for an entire year…no matter the weather.

      By month and season, Rebecca Cohen gives the reader a  comprehensive list of things to actually do outdoors during those fifteen minutes outside, providing suggestions to make it more enjoyable.

      “Going outside with my family every day has changed my life. Instead of frantically running from task to task, I have learned to use the spaces in my schedule to look around, breathe deeply, and live in the moment.”
      Rebecca Cohen – 15 Minutes Outside

      These monthly lists form the heart of this book and will inspire families for many years…no more wondering what to do outside or how to entice your children into stepping outdoors with you. You can keep this book handy and reference it on those days where you just don’t feel like going outside but know that once you do you will be refreshed.

      As a family, we are naturally happier when we are outside, learning and active together. It doesn’t feel like a chore.”
      Rebecca Cohen – 15 Minutes Outside

      Don’t miss the opportunity to give these ideas a try. Currently the price of this book on Amazon.com is $10.19…..what a bargain. She has a free download list of  “50 Outdoor Activities for Busy Families” that you can use to get you started.

      My copy of this book has found a spot on my nature shelf and its pages are marked and highlighted with things I want to try with my boys. Although the book is aimed at younger children, I found quite a few ideas to explore with my teens.

      Rebecca aimed to keep the activities in this book simple, little or no cost, and to be enjoyed every day of the year. I think she hit the mark and this book will help nature loving families to enrich their time outdoors without much extra effort. Thanks Rebecca!


      Along with the book, she has a wonderful product that I know you are going to love! She has created Curiosity Cards for you to use as starting points for conversations that can take place anywhere. These laminated cards on a ring can be stowed easily in a purse, backpack, or hooked to a stroller. I recently took these on a day trip with my family and we made use of the cards as a way to stimulate meaningful conversations about thoughts, emotions, dreams for the future, and just plain getting to know each other better.

      • What would you like do more of every day?
      • Find two things that feel different from each other.
      • Look for animal tracks or signs of animals.
      • What game could we make up right now?

      These Curiosity Cards are a gem and I give them a big thumbs up for my fellow nature loving families. You will use these for a long time in your family.

      Don’t miss Rebecca’s website: Rebecca Plants. Here you will find lots of encouragement for getting outdoors with your family, including a whole series of videos to watch.

      Rebecca has generously offered to supply a copy of the 15 Minutes Outside book to one of my readers. Use the Rafflecopter gadget to enter a random drawing for one copy of this exciting book. Hurry and enter the giveaway before midnight 7/27/12 and I will announce the winner over the weekend.

      a Rafflecopter giveaway

      Please note that I was not paid for this review but I did receive the book and Curiosity Cards for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

      Rebecca’s products are a perfect compliment to the 
      Outdoor Hour Challenge!