Our family loves being outside, and enjoys being in nature every chance we can get. Yes, even in hot and humid Florida you can find us taking many nature walks. If you are wanting to incorporate nature study into your homeschool days, the first thing I suggest is to start by grabbing some free printables for a nature walk and get exploring!
You may know now by reading many of my posts, that I love the Charlotte Mason style of learning. I first got excited about this way of learning when my children were very young and we began to take nature walks with a homeschool group. One of the moms had some living books on nature and had a stack of scavenger hunt printables. I hadn’t seen my children so excited and interested in nature and the world around us and I was hooked!
Nature study is such a huge part of a Charlotte Mason Education where children are allowed to get out of the house, and explore and learn at their own pace. They aren’t told that they can’t touch that or that they can’t get dirty. They are just allowed to be in nature and do what comes naturally when playing outside! I absolutely love watching my children marvel at the world that God created for us.
Charlotte Mason says:
“Every child has a natural interest in the living things about him which it is the business of his parents to encourage.”
“Let them once get in touch with nature, and a habit is formed which will be the source of delight through life.”
“Never be within doors when you can rightly be without.”
Nature study is as simple as taking a walk outdoors. It doesn’t have to be planned out, but as your children get older and become more interested in learning about nature, you may enjoy planning specific types of walks and experiences together. If you are not used to nature study or taking nature walks I have gathered up lots of free printables for a nature walk to help you get started.
You can print these out and put them in a folder, or on a clip board. I like to leave some of them in the truck for an impromptu walk if we are at the park, or on a field trip somewhere with a large nature setting. I also store them at home to pull out when we want to take a nature walk in our neighborhood or close to home.
FREE Printables for a Nature Walk:
Hand Outs and Observation Printables:
Nature Observation Hand Outs broken down by grades 1-4 and 4 and up – Journey North
Rock Observation Chart – Handbook of Nature Study
Create a nature collection bag to take on your walks with a printable to store inside – In the Playroom
Nature Walk Observations Printable – Schooling a Monkey
Tree Identification Nature Walk Printable for Preschoolers – Outdoors Mom
Nature Walk Recording Pages for Emergent Readers – The Wise Owl Factory
I Spy Neighborhood Walk Printable – Mess for Less
Nature Walk Observation Notebook – The Homeschool Scientist
Outdoor Compass Rose Walk Printables – Living Montessori Now
Nature Walk Scavenger Hunts:
Find and Draw Nature Scavenger Hunt for Kids – The Art Kit Blog
Sensory Nature Scavenger Hunt – Racheous
Go on a Color Walk Printable Scavenger Hunt – Buggy and Buddy
Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable –Five Little Chefs
Texture Scavenger Hunt FREE Printable – Hodge Podge Craft
The Poky Little Puppy Scavenger Hunt from Every Day Graces
After Dark Scavenger Hunt from KCedventures
Pond Walk Scavenger Hunt – I Heart Crafty Things
Park Scavenger Hunt – Penny Carnival
Hiking Scavenger Hunt Printable – Make and Takes
Nature Scavenger Hunt Printable – Homeschool Gardens
Nature Identification Printables:
Mushroom Identification Printables – Scratch Made Journal
Wildflower Identification Printables – Kiddy Charts
Animal Track Explorer ID Cards – Exploration America
Printable Bird Watch Tally Sheet – Fantastic Fun and Learning
Woodland Trust has some great spotting sheets and printable nature ID activities:
Woodland Wonders Spotter Sheet
Minibeast Hunt
Wild Woodland Birds
Fungi ID for Kids
Ladybird ID Sheet
Flower Hunt Spotter Sheet
Flying Insects Spotter Sheet
Twig ID Sheet
Beautiful Butterflies Spotter Sheet
Fantastic Fruits and Seeds Identification
Garden Birds Identification
FREE Leaf Terminology Vocabulary Copywork Notebook
Here are some of our favorite books for nature walks:
A Walk in the Woods: Into the Field GuideMy Nature Journal: Activity Book and Field Notes Logbook for Young Explorers Nature Walk JournalWhose Tracks Are These? A Clue Book of Familiar Forest AnimalsNational Audubon Society Pocket Guide: Familiar Animal Tracks of North America Tracks, Scats and Signs (Take Along Guides)Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies: Take-Along Guide (Take Along Guides)Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take Along Guides)Fun With Nature: Take Along Guide (Take Along Guides)Birds, Nests & Eggs (Take Along Guides)Berries, Nuts, And Seeds (Take Along Guides)Rocks, Fossils & Arrowheads (Take Along Guides)Rabbits, Squirrels and Chipmunks: (Take-Along Guide)
Wildflowers, Blooms & Blossoms (Take Along Guides)
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Sarah is a wife, daughter of the King and Mama to 4 children (one who is a homeschool graduate)! She is a an eclectic, Charlotte Mason style homeschooler that has been homeschooling for almost 20 years.. She is still trying to find the balance between work and keeping a home and says she can only do it by the Grace of God, and Coffee!
