4Real Forums: nature journaling with little ones

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Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science

Topic: nature journaling with little ones

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divinagrace
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Joined: April 09 2007
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Posted: Jan 30 2008 at 2:51pm \| IP Logged

Hello,

I have a 4 1/2 year old who likes to go on hikes and look at the field guides we have at home. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get started with nature journaling at this age? I'm not sure how to get him interested. He occasionally draws pictures (not nature), but drawing is not that often.

Thank you.
divina of
the bean sproutwww.divinagrace.blogspot.com

MaryM
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Joined: Feb 11 2005
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Posted: Jan 30 2008 at 3:00pm \| IP Logged

That is still young for much drawing. Maybe you could take photos instead and glue in the journal. Another option is to put collected items (leaves, seeds, grass, bugs) in to the journal. You can add clear plastic pockets to a binder type journal or if they are pretty flat can be taped/glued directly in, or put in plastic baggies and stapled to pages.

Then he can narrate to you about the finds and you can add that to the journal.

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Mary M. in Denver

Our Domestic Church

lapazfarm
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Joined: July 21 2005
Location: Alaska
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Posted: Jan 30 2008 at 4:13pm \| IP Logged

I find the single most important influence in my children journaling is if I journal. When they see me doing it and enjoying it, they get drawn in and naturally want to do it themselves.
The next most important influence is an interesting subject. Honestly, it is hard for a little one to get excited about a landscape or a piece of bark. But give him a big bug, a bird's nest, or a cool mushroom and watch his eyes light up.

Seek out the things that spark his interest, lure him in with leading questions, draw his attention to the details, model enthusiasm and curiosity, and let the inherent beauty of the thing do the rest!

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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning

mellyrose
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Joined: May 12 2006
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Posted: Jan 30 2008 at 8:13pm \| IP Logged

My boys started keeping a nature journal last year (they were 4 & 5 when we started.) They have 5x7, unlined journals. They go outside once a week and do their "nature journaling" and draw whatever nature thing they want. It's been amazing to see how the barrel cactus has changed in my youngest's son's drawings over the last year & 1/2!

Last year, I would write down their dictated entry, this year I still write Nate's entry, but Colin writes his own. These, too, are very simple -- "Here are the 3 trees in our backyard near the sand." and the date.

Which is a long way to say that I think a 4 1/2 yo is perfectly capable of a nature journal -- but on a very simplistic level!

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Melanie in AZ
Colin (11/00), Nate (05/02), Lydia (04/07)
My Little Patch of Sunshine
Pictures of our Life

CathinCoffeland
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Joined: May 19 2006
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Posted: Jan 30 2008 at 9:36pm \| IP Logged

My 4 yrold has a special mini-clipbpard he likes to bring that looks like his sis's big clip board,

He doesnt like to draw but loves a good "treasue hunt" so I print out pages with clip art or use stickers of animals/plants/weather.

he will circle the correct weather and any plants animals he sees,

At the bottom its blank I let him dictate to me anything he says about the walk.

He draws if he feels like it but mostly we are working on the habit of journaling.

He pops the page into his binder when we get home.
He may request a copy of any pics we take to include in his binder.

Big sis 6.5 started out this way too and now fills in her own pages with pics and words though she likes a hunt too so sometimes I just put a list on an index card for her to ckeck off.

Maggie

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graciefaith
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Joined: June 08 2006
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Posted: Feb 01 2008 at 10:08pm \| IP Logged

I just went to HSS to print out some journal pages. She has some that are geared for 2-4yo and another for 4-6yo. Also on there, there is a fun idea using an egg carton that might appeal to your young one. We will probably do that too. We have not gone on any kind of nature walk b/c mom has been too lazy but starting Monday, we'll do it weekly.

http://www.homeschoolshare.com/nature_journal.php

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Blessed wife and mom of 3 girls, Sept. '01, Dec. '02 and Oct. '07

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