Nature Journaling

The boys and I were talking about what we could include in our nature journaling so we pulled out our Botany notebook and reviewed what we learned about nature journaling.

Information we may include in our journaling:

  • Where and When (date, time and location, include the location of the sun and moon, sun/moon rise and sun/moon set times)
  • Illustrations (drawn with many colors, record the colors and patterns we see in nature)
  • Sketches with Labels (often drawn with only one color pencil or pen).
  • Lists (make lists of what you see, from kinds of bird to trees that you see)
  • Descriptions (write down the colors, shapes and everything you notice, the weather, specific details)
  • Your Own Poetry or Songs (use forms of expression like similes and metaphors to get started)
  • Poetry or Songs You Know (write down poems or songs you think of when you are outside)
  • Scripture and Prayer (take a small Bible with you, record a Psalm, write a prayer or answer to a prayer)
  • Your Thoughts (your feelings, hopes, ideas, dreams)
All of these things help make their journal a part of them. I am going to print this list and paste it inside their nature journal for them to remember.

During our study, we visited a local greenhouse and identified different types of leaves and plants. Then we spent some time nature journaling. Here is our very first Nature Journaling experience 2 1/2 years ago (August 2007):

Jordan @ age 11:

Jordan wrote, "I like the way this is built because it looks old and rustic. It looks so cool, I want to shrink up and go in it."

Nathan @ age 8 1/2:

Dylan @ age 7:

At this point, I was still writing many of their narrations for them. I was mostly writing Dylan's, but it was not too long after this that he took off on writing his own.

Hard to believe how much they have grown.

I loved looking over these and seeing them again! It encourages me all the more to continue on in our nature journaling. It also makes me look forward to Spring!

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