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Nature Exploration Supplies

July 3, 2015 By: amyswandering1 Comment

This post contains affiliate links.

Very little is actually needed for nature study. A pencil & paper to record your findings, perhaps some field guides from the library or thrift store. All the little gadgets and doodads sure make it fun, though!

Nature Exploration Supplies - tips on assembling a nature walk bag

I usually choose a couple of new items at the beginning of each school year to add to our collection. We keep the items that we use on our nature walks in a backpack, and store the rest of it in a drawer.

Our Nature Exploration Supplies

We add to our nature stuff a little bit at a time. This is a list of what we’ve accumulated over the years.

  • sling bag backpack
  • drawstring backpack
  • clipboards
  • field guides
  • flower press – we just use wax paper and two heavy dictionaries
  • binoculars
  • pocket microscope
  • magnifying glass – from Dollar Tree
  • pocket magnifying glass
  • watercolor pencils
  • colored pencils – I buy these from Michaels w/a 40% off coupon
  • watercolor compact set
  • sketchpad
  • tweezers
  • flashlight
  • butterfly garden
  • Backyard Safari bug vac
  • mini pop up habitat
  • first aid kit
  • watch-a-bug
  • butterfly nets – Dollar Tree
  • critter cage – Dollar Tree
  • bead organizer – to hold collections
  • stainless steel water bottles
  • garden clippers
  • small spade
  • hatchet/knife multi tool
  • camera
  • baggies

On My Supply Wish List

  • waterproof Bible (lily pad)
  • waterproof Bible (tree bark)
  • Pentel water brush
  • Prismacolor colored pencils
  • vintage field bag
  • pretty much anything from this catalog

Fandex Family Guides

These little field guide fans are compact enough to toss in your nature bag, and easier to use out on the trail than a book.

  • Trees
  • Wildflowers
  • Birds
  • Bugs
  • Butterflies

birds fandex

Nature Field Kit Ideas

  • Nature Walk Storage Clipboards
  • DIY Nature Explorer Pack
  • Nature Walk Bag
  • Mesh Collecting Bag Tutorial
  • Recycled Clothing Field Bag Tutorial

NaturExplorers

NaturExplorer studies by Shining Dawn Books are a great addition to your nature exploration toolkit. These info-packed nature unit studies include experiments, project ideas, writing prompts, and notebooking pages. Perfect to throw on a clipboard and go!

Creative-Nature-Walks

Have you grabbed your Holiday Nature Walks yet?

Free Printable Holiday Nature Walks

Hang Out with Us

  • See the entire 31 Days of Exploring Nature series
  • 26 bloggers x 31 days = 800+ tips for YOU!
  • Join our new Facebook group Homeschooling Tips for Moms
  • All your favorite tips are in one spot on Pinterest

31 Days Exploring Nature 150     31 Days of Homeschooling Tips for Moms

Follow Amy T @ Are We There Yet?’s board Homeschool – Nature on Pinterest.

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Nature Walks & Scavenger Hunts

July 2, 2015 By: amyswanderingcomment

This post contains affiliate links.

A nature walk is the easiest way to get my kiddos interested in God’s creation. All ages enjoy it, and I don’t have to try and focus five minds on one particular topic.

Nature Walks with Kids - nature walk ideas, printable scavenger hunts, and nature unit studies

Sometimes we just walk and observe, and other times we have a specific mission. The latter usually involves some type of printable scavenger hunt. Make sure to take along a bag to collect interesting finds!

Start in Your Own Yard

Your own backyard is a great place to start hunting for nature. I like to use the One Small Square: Backyard book as a tool for observing the critters hanging out there. It helps you investigate your yard one section at a time.

one-small-square-backyard1.jpg

NaturExplorers

NaturExplorer studies by Shining Dawn Books are a great, and inexpensive, way to dig a little deeper into your nature study. These info-packed nature unit studies include experiments, project ideas, writing prompts, and notebooking pages.

 

late-summer-bundle

Nature Walk Ideas

  • 100 Things to Do Before, During, or After a Nature Walk
  • Nature Hunt for Colors
  • Wildflower Walk – tip for preserving flowers until you get home
  • The Dice Walk
  • 50 Ways to Explore Nature in Your Own Backyard
  • Playdough Nature Walk
  • 10 Ways to Add Fun to Your Nature Walk
  • How to Go on a Nature Walk with Preschoolers

Printable Scavenger Hunts

  • The Poky Little Puppy Scavenger Hunt
  • Rock Hunt
  • Nature Hunt
  • Hike Observations
  • Woodland Scavenger Hunt
  • Botany Scavenger Hunt
  • Backyard Bingo
  • Park Scavenger Hunt
  • Pond Walk Scavenger Hunt
  • Eye-Spy in the Woods
  • 5 Senses Nature Walk
  • Illustrated Nature Hunt
  • Pirate Treasure Scavenger Hunt
  • Nature Treasure Hunting Pack
  • Case Files for Nature Detectives
  • I Spy Wild Animal Clues
  • Seasons Scavenger Hunts
  • Spring Scavenger Hunt
  • Autumn Nature Walks
  • Winter Nature Hike
  • Holiday Nature Walks

You can find more nature printables on my Nature Notebook Master List.

Books for Exploring Nature

  • The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook
  • Fun with Nature Take-Along Guide
  • Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book
  • A Walk in the Woods Coloring Book
  • Backyard Nature Coloring Book
  • I Love Dirt! 52 Activities to Help You & Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature
Into the Woods

Into the Woods Treasure Box

Have you grabbed your Holiday Nature Walks yet?

Free Printable Holiday Nature Walks

Hang Out with Us

  • See the entire 31 Days of Exploring Nature series
  • 26 bloggers x 31 days = 800+ tips for YOU!
  • Join our new Facebook group Homeschooling Tips for Moms
  • All your favorite tips are in one spot on Pinterest

31 Days Exploring Nature 150     31 Days of Homeschooling Tips for Moms

Follow Amy T @ Are We There Yet?’s board Homeschool – Nature on Pinterest.

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Charlotte Mason and Nature Study

July 1, 2015 By: amyswandering1 Comment

Nature study has become synonymous with Charlotte Mason. Her thoughts on getting children out-of-doors have inspired many a homeschooler to start exploring nature – myself included.

Charlotte Mason and Nature Study - tips on how to get started

We have so many fond memories of exploring parks and ponds and our own backyard. In the beginning, I made nature study hard on all of us. We eventually learned to simply enjoy God’s creation, quietly look & listen, and maybe add a page to our nature notebooks.

“Nature teaches us Gratitude.––But it is not only as she helps us in our own spiritual life that Nature instructs us in our duty to God. Some people have the grace to be tenderly and reverently thankful to the author of a great book, the painter of a great picture––thankful, if less reverently so, to the discoverer of a great invention. What daily and hourly thanks and praise, then, do we owe to the Maker and designer of the beauty, glory, and fitness above our heads and about our feet and surrounding us on every side! From the flower in the crannied wall to the glorious firmament on high, all the things of Nature proclaim without ceasing, ‘Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty.'”

Charlotte Mason (Vol. 4, Book 2, pp 99-100)

You certainly don’t have to be a Charlotte Mason groupie to study nature, but she does have some words of wisdom on the subject.

These posts will give you a place to start:

  • 8 Reasons to Do Nature Study @ Simply Charlotte Mason
  • Nature Study @ Charlotte Mason Help
  • How to Get Started with Nature Study @ Afterthoughts
  • Charlotte Mason Was Right About Nature Study @ Our Journey Westward
  • Nature Study, Science, and Charlotte Mason @ The Common Room
  • A Charlotte Mason Nature Study Group @ Living Charlotte Mason in California

This post contains affiliate links.

Books of interest:

  • The Outdoor Life of Children: The Importance of Nature Study and Outdoor Activities
  • Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
  • Handbook of Nature Study which you can also read online for free
  • Pocketful of Pinecones: Nature Study with the Gentle Art of Learning

Have you grabbed your Holiday Nature Walks yet?

Free Printable Holiday Nature Walks

Hang Out with Us

  • See the entire 31 Days of Exploring Nature series
  •  26 bloggers x 31 days = 800+ tips for YOU!
  • Join our new Facebook group Homeschooling Tips for Moms
  • All your favorite tips in one spot on Pinterest

31 Days Exploring Nature 150     31 Days of Homeschooling Tips for Moms

Follow Amy T @ Are We There Yet?’s board Homeschool – Nature on Pinterest.

Spring Subscribe

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Free Holiday Nature Walks – 31 Days of Exploring Nature Series

June 30, 2015 By: amyswanderingcomment

I am excited to announce that tomorrow is Day 1 of my 31 Days of Exploring Nature series. Think of it as your comprehensive guide to nature study.

31 Days of Exploring Nature

I hope it will bless your family with an abundance of resources for learning more about God’s amazing creation. Go take a peek at the list of topics covered.

A new post will go live each day in July. Subscribe to receive a reminder each day in your email, and to gain access to subscriber freebies.

I created a FUN set of Holiday Nature Walks to go with this series! Download your set below.

This set includes nature walks for:

  • New Year’s Eve
  • Valentine’s Day
  • St. Patrick’s Day
  • Easter
  • Halloween
  • Thanksgiving
  • Christmas

Free Printable Holiday Nature Walks

See you tomorrow!!

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FREE Thanksgiving Planners

October 27, 2012 By: amyswandering5 Comments

Having a plan for Thanksgiving will allow you to enjoy the holiday instead of running around like a chicken turkey with it’s head cut off.

p.s. Tell the creators how THANKFUL you are for their generosity!!

Thanksgiving Planner from Whaddaya Lookin At?

November Personal Assistant from Tip Junkie

Thanksgiving Planner from Yum Sugar

Week of Thanksgiving Calendar from Family Fun

Disney Planner Page so cute!

Interactive Meal Planner from epicurious

Thanksgiving E-book & Planner from Life Your Way

Thanksgiving Dinner Planner and Grocery List from Mom’s Budget

Plan It from Ocean Spray (will change to Thanksgiving after Halloween)

7 Week Holiday Planner from iMom

Thanksgiving Day Menu Printable from My Computer Is My Canvas

Thanksgiving Holiday Menu from The Project Girl

Plan Your Thanksgiving Like a Caterer from Jenny Steffens

The Gobble Guide from Design Finch

{Don’t miss future freebies … follow me on Facebook or Pinterest!}

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