Nature Journal

Children are always delighted to discover new things outdoors. Have them draw and write about their findings in a journal.

What you need:

• Notebook
• Markers, crayons, pencils

What you do:

• Give your child a notebook and have him/her decorate the cover.
• Go outside with your child and be nature observers.
• Find interesting objects (leaves, lady bugs, rocks) and draw them in the journal.
• Use a magnifying glass to get a closer look
• Make sure to add lots of details to the pictures
• Then have your child write about the pictures. This is a great way to work on descriptive writing. Help your child use lots of adjectives to describe the pictures.

What you can talk about:

• Ask your child to use their senses to describe each picture. What does a leaf feel, sound, look, smell like?
• See if your child can write a poem using their descriptions.
• Younger children will enjoy drawing and simply discussing their observations.

Literature Link:

• Get your child excited about creating their nature journal by reading Nature's Green Umbrella by Gail Gibbons.