Nature Journaling With Kids II: Let’s Sketch!
Nature Journaling can be a bit of a daunting proposition, especially if you think you can’t draw yourself. As we all know, your kids will mimic what you do. Grab your own nature journal and sketch along with them! Here’s what I want you to remember as you begin this journey. First – nature journaling is not about creating a pretty or perfectly accurate picture. Second – drawing skills will improve with continued practice.
(This is Part II of Nature Journaling with Kids — click here for Part I)
Where to Nature Journal With Your Kids
This one is kind of a no-brainer. Kids are naturally curious. Any place there is nature, your kids can find something to explore in their journal. Honestly, the best nature connections generally come from exploring your immediate surroundings.
- Get them excited to begin a new adventure – try going to a new-to-you park not far from home for a first outing.
- Sketching in your own yard can be a fun adventure. Although they see their own yard every day, you’ll be surprised at how different it looks to you once you begin to sketch elements you find in it.
- Discover the nature that resides inside your home! Yep, it’s there too!
- Check the produce drawer in your refrigerator. Pull out an apple. Sketch it whole. Notice how most of them are not one solid color. Is there a stem? Cut the apple open horizontally. Draw the insides. Cut one vertically. How is it different? Draw it.
- Do you have any houseplants? Draw them. Cut flowers in a vase?
- What about pets? Have them draw the dog, the cat, the hamster, the goldfish.
- Is there a spider crawling up the wall? Have them draw it before you take it outside!
- Get in the habit of packing your nature journaling supplies when you take trips. Nature is everywhere!
- A trip to the zoo or the aquarium is a good way to study and sketch non-native animals up close.
Leading Your Kids on a Nature Journaling Adventure
Get kids in the ‘mood’ to become explorers! I bought a set like the one below for both of my grandkids — they loved it! They would often get all geared up on their own and head out to the backyard.
If you’re just starting out with a nature journal, make it easy on yourself! Let it be just a spontaneous thing. Grab a pencil and some paper. Head out to your backyard or a nearby park. Ask your kids to draw whatever catches their interest; a bug, a tree, a flower, etc. You won’t be hovering over their drawings, as you’ll be making your own, right? This is a big deal — kids mimic what they see.
Now ask them questions. Do not comment on the artwork — nature journaling isn’t about the art! Ask them what they noticed about their subject. What colors did they notice? Do they know the name of it? (What kind of bug, flower, etc.) Let them lead the discussion. Have them tell you why they chose to draw what they did. What do they like about it? What do they wonder about the object? Let them color their drawings when you return home. Congratulations! You just made your first nature journal entries!
For specific recommendations on supplies, check out My Favorite Supplies page.
Next Steps in Nature Journaling with Your Kids
Make a habit of carrying your nature journals with you when you travel or even when you’re running errands. Nature can be found everywhere. You might spot a dandelion in a sidewalk crack, a hawk skimming over the water as you’re driving, or an interesting spider crawling on the dashboard of your car!
We all get too busy and it can be hard to find extra time for activities — think outside the box. Cut a length of string or yarn; no more than 5 or 6 feet long. Have your kids sit in your yard. They can only sketch what is within the reach of their string! You’ll be amazed at what you can find even in that tiny space! This exercise will help them build observational skills as they become hyper-focused on finding interesting things within their space.
Nature Journaling is Both Art and Science
If you want to take your journaling to the next level, get in the habit of looking up scientific information on your subjects. You can often do this on the spot using field guides specific to the area where you live. Or get your phone out and google it!
Use your nature journal to ask questions. Is this bird native to our area, or is it just passing through as it migrates? Is this flower an annual or perennial? What insects are attracted to this particular plant?
I am a big fan of John Muir Laws, who teaches nature journaling with kids and adults. He advocates asking yourself 3 things on each of your journal pages: I notice, I wonder, It reminds me of, . . Observing closely enough to complete these 3 statements, forces you to look very closely and to engage your brain!
Nature has a way of pulling you in. The more time you spend observing and journaling, the more you’ll want to. Nature journaling forces you to observe plants and animals up close and personal. You begin to connect, to realise that you are a part of it all. You fall in love. And most importantly, you naturally begin to protect what you love.
Don’t forget to grab your FREE copy of my Quick-Start Guide to Nature Journaling from the Freebie Library.
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Nature Scavenger Hunt With Kids
The following is a ‘guest post’ by Elizabeth Kreider, my daughter and the other half of Wandering Leaves Studio. Although we don’t often hear her voice on the blog, she is behind the scenes doing the work that makes it all come together!
Your typical nature scavenger hunt simply doesn’t work! If you’ve ever tried one with your kids, you know that there’s lots of running, yelling, and competition. I believe there is a better way to do a scavenger hunt.
Nature Scavenger Hunt vs. Competitive Race
Do a quick search on Pinterest and you’ll find dozens of printable nature scavenger hunt pages for kids. Trust me, I’ve looked at most of them. I’ve also made a few of my own. The typical pages are comprised of images to find and cross off. I tried this with my children and found that the lovely nature walk turned into a hyper-focused hunt/competition to check those items off as quickly as possible. This was not my goal. What I really wanted was to help them to see beyond what they normally would on a nature walk.
Here’s a throwback of my kids after a typical scavenger hunt. (ages 3 & 4) Can you tell by the glare who “won”? Yeah… I didn’t want to recreate this! Rofl!
I propose a different kind of nature scavenger hunt; one that will take more than one adventurous day to complete. Most of the things on this list can be done as a group — making it a cooperation rather than a competition.
This list (with adult participation) is suitable for children ages 3-10.
A Word on Teachable Moments
Children are naturally inquisitive. Any parent learns this early on in their child’s development. (You know,.. because your ears are bleeding from the 10,000 questions a day!) So basically, a “Teachable Moment” happens when you let go of your parental expectations and allow space for that natural inquisitiveness.
For example, say you are helping your little one with the first task on the scavenger hunt, finding rocks and building a rock tower; but your little one is more interested in throwing rocks in the creek than building a tower. Sound Familiar?
Instead of getting frustrated and forcing the original project (resulting in no fun for either of you) what if you decide to participate, throw rocks with them, and ask questions like:
- What happens to the water when you throw a rock into it?
- How many rings can you count?
- Does the sound it makes change when you throw the rock higher?
- Do big rocks and little rocks make a different sound?
- Why do you think that is?
Okay parents, see the difference? Now I’m not suggesting that you let your child run around like a little untamed mini-Tarzan doing whatever he/she wants. However, taking advantage of a situation like the example above, can change the way a child views nature in a beautiful way. Eventually, they start asking those kinds of questions themselves; and for me, when my kids do, I usually learn something I didn’t know. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in the car after a walk and looked up the answers to their questions I couldn’t answer.
Did you know that some fireflies live underground for the first two years of their life?
Yeah… Neither did I!
Now, go have a magical adventure with your child! There’s so much to discover (even in your own backyard!)
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