At the beginning of the school year it is easy to focus on the classroom within your four walls. Figuring out schedules, getting used to new curriculum, planning lessons, and adjusting to fall activities all come with the back-to-school territory. But don’t forget to take advantage of the beautiful weather, whenever it occurs in your geographic area, to step out into nature and learn some different lessons.

Although much has been written about young children and the great outdoors, there is also tremendous value for including older children in your outdoor studies.  Whether you stroll through the neighborhood observing birds and insects you see, or silently hike into the depths on the lookout for wildlife typically not seen, resources abound for expanding the educational value of your nature adventures. Nature Connection by Clare Walker Leslie is a wonderful “getting started guide” for all ages, organized for month-by-month observation and journaling. The Nature Portfolio from History Portfolio is a wonderful tool for older children is filled with journaling pages, seasonal charts and recommended readings, and guide children in creating a beautiful keepsake from their nature observations. And no serious nature study bookshelf is complete without the Handbook of Nature Study from Cornell University Press.

We’ve put together a few ideas for nature activities, observation along with some suggested resources.

  • Bug Hunts: Go on a bug walk, looking for insects on flowers, bushes, trees or on the ground. Place them in a bug house or magnification container to observe the insect up close, then release the bug where you found it.

 

  • Bird Watching: If you’re not already feeding the local birds, consider adding a birdfeeder, hummingbird feeder or a birdbath to attract more. Gather up a bird guide or two and try to identify the birds that visit your yard. You can even journal your observations in a notebook or the Bird Log Kids, a ready-made journal.

 

  • Star Gazing: Spend awhile observing the sky at different times throughout the year. You don’t need any fancy equipment; an inexpensive star map/star finder is helpful to become familiar with the positions of the stars and constellations before you even head outside.

 

  • Leaf Collecting: There are so many activities you can do with leaves. Collect them and use them to identify trees that you’re not familiar with. Observe the patterns that the leaf veins create. Make crayon rubbings of the leaves and even the bark of the tree.

 

  • Watch the Sunset: Simply enjoying the sunset is a relaxing and beautiful time to meditate on the wonders of our Creator and to put life in perspective. If your family is interested, you can also learn about refraction and the spectacular colors and shadows.

 

  • Identify weeds in your yard or roadside ditches: If you don’t know many of your neighborhood plants, that is OK! Learn along with the kids, using a field guide or online resources for identification. Learning more about the plants we live with every day can be fascinating.

 

  • Learn survival and outdoor skills: Older children and teens especially may be interested in learning more advanced skills. There are many excellent resources on the subject available from your library, such as the Boy Scout’s Handbook 1911 edition.

 

Whether great or small, your outdoor adventures offer tremendous benefits to your children educationally, physically, emotionally and spiritually as they appreciate the beauty of creation. It is our hope this inspires you to experience the joys of the world that awaits you out of doors.

 

~ Deanne, Donna & Gina