Nature Study - Relaxed and Fun!

This past spring, we finally began doing weekly nature studies. All along, I’ve had good intentions, and we’ve done some lovely nature readings but actually getting OUTDOORS to do our studies just wasn’t happening. I think I was overwhelmed at the multitude of possibilities, and just didn’t know where to begin. Then I stumbled upon Harmony Art Mom’s blog. She has taken the time to plan and share weekly “Outdoor Hour Challenges” that are simple but fun. We can go more in-depth if we feel inspired to do so.

Nature study doesn’t have to be complicated, and it should always be enjoyable -- in fact, our nature studies have become the highlight of our week. All we really need is to provide our kids regular opportunities and encouragement to get in touch with nature. This allows them to develop a real relationship with the world around them. “There is no kind of knowledge to be had in these early years so valuable to children as that which they get for themselves, of the world they live in.” That bit of wisdom from Charlotte Mason goes right along with her teachings about education being a “science of relations” — in other words, children (and adults!) learn best when they are personally involved with a subject. For instance, studying botany and plant diagrams may seem quite boring, unless you have first developed an interest in the flowers in your neighborhood. Let the kids dig in the dirt, help in the garden, and search for bugs and other little critters in the yard.

Almost all of the nature studies we’ve done have been literally in our own yard. We’ve studied all sorts of plants, flowers, and insects right in our flower garden. One of favorite studies so far was of a weed - the dandelions that dot our lawn! We already knew (from previous weeding attempts) that dandelions have quite long and strong taproots. What we didn't know is exactly how and why the puffballs that kids love to blow as well as those happy little yellow flowers grow on the same plant.

We learned that they start out as the cute and usually short (to avoid mower blades!) yellow flowers, which close at night and open during the day. After they are pollinated and mature, they close up again, stay that way for several days, and grow taller. When they reopen, they have become puffballs. One dandelion we found in the backyard had every stage on the same plant! It was so fascinating to see that in real life in our own yard after reading about all those many stages in our Handbook of Nature Study! Just this week Kathryn did her own experiment of bringing a handful of yellow dandelion flowers inside in a cup of water to see if they would go through the whole flower-to-puffball process. I didn’t think they would, but a week later, after looking like they were dying, they all reopened as puffballs! Even the family dog sometimes “helps” with our nature studies. (It may look like she's just laying there in the picture, but she's actually inching her way towards Kathryn in hopes of snatching the dandelion and running away with it!).

Nature journals shouldn’t be a chore, either. I keep my own nature journal so I’m not tempted to take over Kathryn’s and dictate what she must put in it. Here's a bit from The Handbook of Nature Study that really struck me when I read it:

"A field notebook may be a joy to the pupil... The book should be considered the personal property of the child and should never be criticized by the teacher except as a matter of encouragement... No child should be compelled to have a notebook... It is a friendly gate which admits the teacher to a knowledge of what the child sees and cares for... These books, of whatever quality, are precious beyond price to their owners."

When we did this dandelion study, Kathryn drew an enlarged picture of the dandelion seed, or akene, after examining it with a magnifying glass, and then came up with the idea to also tape a specimen of a real akene on the page next to her drawing. She described how it looked to her, and wrote some of what we learned about the dandelion. It’s fun to include a little poetry into nature study sometimes, too. For this one, she copied a little verse we found about dandelions:


“With locks of gold today;
tomorrow silver grey,
then blossom bald.”

Here are some other fun and easy ideas for doing nature study no matter where you live.

• Grow a potted plant


• Install a bird feeder where you can easily see it from a window in your school room or dining area


• Go on walks together, even on rainy days (there are lots of new things to see then!)


• Learn the names of the flowers in your yard or neighborhood

• Have a picnic and pay attention to the sky, the weather, and any birds, insects, or critters you see


• Love and care for a pet (even something small and “easy” like a goldfish or hamster)

God reveals himself in His creation, so we can get to know Him better as we marvel at the intricacies of His creation. I can't think of a better reason for doing nature study than that!

Enjoy your relaxed and fun time out in God's great creation!

Jamie is in her third year of homeschooling, and loving the mostly-Charlotte Mason style she's chosen. She is a joyfully married wife in a blended family, and knows that absolutely anything good she accomplishes is because of Christ in her. Her days are fueled by the love of her family and many cups of steaming hot tea. When she's not blogging or homeschooling, she's probably doing a photography session, gardening, or just playing with her crazy mutt. She invites you to visit her personal blog for more eclectic bits of encouragement and fun at Life and Love in Rose Cottage.