How to Get Kids Outside with a Nature Journal

With kids heading back to school and the holidays just right around the corner, we find ourselves wanting to encourage our kids to explore and enjoy as much time outside in nature as possible. During the summer, it feels like nature is our number one best friend. Take the kids to the park, send them to the backyard with their friends, or even hiking and camping as a family. But, now with limited free time, sometimes our kids need a little encouraging to get outside and explore.

That is why we have put together some fun nature journals for our kids to take outside with them to encourage exploring and observing nature. And, they are very simple to put together. We just picked up some cheap spiral bound sketch books at the store, along with some fun art supplies that my children enjoy – markers, watercolors, pencils, tape, etc.

Now, whenever we are outside in the backyard, at a park, hiking, etc; we always take a moment to stop and observe the nature around us. We all get to add a little journal entry in each of our books. I give my children the option to add an entry however they would like – tape a leaf on a page, write a short story, draw a picture, paint, etc. It is really about them observing and expressing what they see and feel.

And, if you are looking for other ways to help your children enjoy exploring nature, Compass Crate is a monthly subscription box company dedicated to helping kids and families get outside and explore nature. Every month you will receive a box full of fun and seasonal activities to help you have a wonderful outdoor adventure. Some of our favorite items from the monthly crates that have helped with our natural journals have been the plant and animal guides, small glass terrarium (that we hold our little nature treasures in) and a wonderfully large magnifying glass.

We can’t wait to see how our nature journals evolve over the changing of the seasons. We have loved looking back a the previous entries to see what has really inspired our children. We hope to inspire you and your children to go outside and observe this wonderful season!

It is never too late to get the kids outside even in the wintertime!

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