Keeping a Nature Journal is a great homeschool nature study resource and contains a wealth of ideas that you can pick and choose to use as inspiration. This book is a tool like so many other tools we use in our family’s nature study. Photos by Amy Law This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy. Homeschool Nature Study Resource This is a book that many of us own and is sitting on our shelf. It may also be a book that you have looked at online, have seen others using, or actually paged through at a bookstore. It is a familiar book that I have a love/hate relationship be ..read more

Monthly nature journal activities take your outdoor experiences, your thoughts, new ideas or facts, and make them tangible. Here are some ideas to get you started nature journaling. Photos by Amy Law The Value Of Nature Journaling In Your Homeschool Paging through the completed journals gives such a sense of accomplishment, each page a nugget of learning from your nature study. This time of year is an opportunity to reflect on our goals and habits. I don’t know about you but one thing that has been a little neglected over the last year is my nature journal. Monthly Projects For Nature Journali ..read more

You don’t need to spend lots of money building a library of nature literature. Using the public library as a source of books is easy and fun. Nature themed literature is a wonderful way to generate an interest in the natural world.  They can also be used to enhance an area of study by sharing information along with illustrations in a simple and non-threatening way. Children can usually sit still for a few minutes while you share a picture book and many times they will later pick up the book again all on their own and really study it. Using the Public Library to Enhance Your Nature Study ..read more

Why are we spending time in nature study? Is nature study old-fashioned for your homeschool? Do we really need to expose our children to this type of learning in our modern age, where everything is at our fingertips as far as finding answers to anything we want to know in books or on the internet? Is Nature Study Old-Fashioned for Your Homeschool? I think outdoor time and nature study are as fundamental to good learning as you can find. Charlotte Mason agrees. “And this is exactly what a child should be doing for the first few years. He should be getting familiar with the real things in his ..read more

There is such freedom in homeschool nature study in your own backyard and in learning what is closest to home! In your own backyard, your children will learn to observe, to write about their experiences, to draw their treasures, to be patient, to imagine, and to explore. You don’t need a special textbook or kit to get started. In the book Last Child in the Woods, the author makes the point several times that today’s science textbooks and programs are missing the mark. Many, many young students know more about the tropical rainforests and volcanoes of the world than they know about their own b ..read more

Here are 5 getting started tips for nature study in your homeschool. What a delight nature study learning is and what joys you will discover outside your back door. We will help you with simple encouragement along the way. Photos by Amy Law Tips From The Handbook of Nature Study You will find some of the very best tips for nature study from Handbook of Nature Study author, Anna Comstock. “Nature study is, despite all discussions and perversions, a study of nature; it consists of simple, truthful observations that may, like beads on a string, finally be threaded upon the understanding and thus ..read more

Creating a homeschool nature study atmosphere does not need to be difficult, dirty, or uncomfortable. In fact, the best nature study is done without much effort and is guided by your child’s interest in topics that come along. Photos by Amy Law The nature study we talk about here is meant to be simple, a constant vigilance for something to be interested in right in your own neighborhood. Creating a Homeschool Nature Study Atmosphere – It Starts With You Nature Study- You can do this and your children will thank you. That really is my main message for this post and this Homeschool Nature ..read more

Enjoy a fun summer nature study photo challenge plus first day of summer ideas! I don’t know about you but I’m so very ready for the summer season! The most noticeable change is the amount of daylight. The sun is up early and it lingers in the evenings. Nature study can be easy and fun when you have access to the Outdoor Hour Challenges! Pick the topics that interest your family the most and then get started with the activities, videos, and follow up notebook pages. While you’re just starting your summer nature study planning, please consider an Outdoor Hour Challenge. Maybe observe your weat ..read more

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. Photos by Amy Law “From the time she was no higher than a daisy, Anna was wild about nature.” Suzanne Slade One of the most natural ways for people to learn is through story. This sweetly illustrated biography of Anna Comstock gives a glimpse into the life of the woman who wrote the wonderful book The Handbook ..read more

Enjoy these Anna Botsford Comstock Quotes for nature lovers! Anna Botsford Comstock is the author of The Handbook of Nature Study. The Handbook 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! Anna Botsford Comstock Quotes for Nature Lovers The Teaching of Nature Study– Nature-study is, despite all discussions and perversions, a study of nature; it consists of simple, truthful observations that may, like beads on a string, finally be threaded upon the understanding and thus held together as a logi ..read more