Nature Walks have always been a favorite homeschool activity for us. We were outside enjoying the weather, experiencing nature, practicing being quiet, and getting fresh air!
Nature Walks are great to do during each season! Nature Walks are not just for spring and fall time. I love watching beautiful meadows come to glorious colors or huge sugar maples change in the fall, but even packing on layers and walking through a winter wonderland is fun too.
Document the changes each season brings to your Nature Walks. Or bring a trash bag to clean up your neighborhood woods and local parks.
It’s easy to pack a sketch pad for an art lesson. Add a magnifying glass for those neat smaller creatures. Or bring a chapter book and read in the shade.
We used to have this one spot under a maple tree by the lake. I’d read Robert Frost poetry on a large blanket while we snacked on lunch. Those are some of my fondest homeschool memories !!
We have a few rules for Nature Walks.
1. Don’t pick, pluck, or rip any plants. You can only take something if it’s already fallen off the plant.
2. Leave the place better than how we found it. Pick up trash, remove dead limbs, etc.
3. Don’t touch anything without asking. Some things can sting, bite, or are poisonous. Always ask first! Look with your eyes more than with your hands.
Nature Walks are great for more than just educational purposes. My teen opens up when we’re alone without distractions. There is no place to run and hide nor electronic device begging for our attention. It’s perfect quality time to get to the root of things.
Nature Walks
You can can print any of these Nature Walks Pages to bring or complete after your walk. We would write down what we saw, what changed, and draw a few pictures. Some days I just printed the “blank” page to write down everything we saw. Other days I would print the “bird” page and we’d keep an eye out just for birds. We had a blast the one year woodpeckers hatched in a tree out back and we watched both parents feed them. These pages were an easy way to document outside activity, count it as “science”, and then add to the science portfolio!
Here is another page for younger or struggling writers. I know a lot of lines can feel intimidating. My youngest struggled with delayed fine motor skills so he liked fewer and thicker lines. Or it can be used as a 2nd sheet for a really long exciting Nature Walk!
Nature Walk (younger)
Looking for more animal pages to add to your lessons? Click on Animal Worksheets below for a long list of animal science worksheets.
