Make a nature journal to record all the amazing things you see, smell, hear, feel, and wonder about throughout the year. Nature journals help people of all ages get up close and personal with nature, because you have to look closely at something in order to draw or describe it.
There are no rules for nature journals, but here are some examples of how to use it:
- Write a poem about your time outdoors
- Describe an insect that captures your attention
- Draw a beautiful leaf or butterfly
- List the birds you see
- Note seasonal events, such as which plants are flowering/dropping leaves
- Write down questions you want to answer about something you saw.
Make a Nature Journal
Making your own nature journal is a fun project. All you need is some regular paper, cardstock for the cover, a few rubber bands or string, and a twig or bamboo skewer. Here’s how to make it:
- Fold the paper in half with the cardstock on the outside.
- Lay the stick vertically along the fold, about 1/4″ in from the fold.
- Poke holes or use a hole punch to make holes about 1/2″ in from each end of the twig/bamboo skewer.
- Wrap one end of the rubber band around one end of the twig, put it through the hole down the back of the journal, up through the other hole, and around the other end of the stick. (see photo example) You can also use string/twine for this part.
There are many other ways to make nature journals – look online for other methods. For those who use nature journals to track nature over time, Bowdoin Biology Professor Emeritus Nat Wheelwright’s The Naturalist’s Notebook offers the ability to track notes over a five-year period.