Fall is here!
Anybody else having “fall fever?” Ready to get outside to soak up the beauty and fresh air? Oh! I LOVE the fall! This is the perfect time to make up any excuse to get outside. But, what if we call it “school” as we enjoy this gorgeous fall?
Yep! It is fall and time for fall themed nature studies. Yep! Time for that weekly nature walk! Time to pull out those nature notebooks and begin a fresh new study. NO pressure. Just with atmosphere of fun and delight!
Want some ideas that are EASY? How about some of our favorites? Let’s dig in…
Trees…
- Take a nature walk to collect fall leaves. Classify leaves by color and form. Press for nature notebook. Jot down date, name, and where found.
- Select and draw a leaf for your nature notebook. Include date, name, and where found.
- Collect, describe or draw the fruit or seeds from your tree.
- Record the date that the first leaves begin to fall.
- Cut a chosen leaf out of similar colored paper.
- Make cards with pressed leaves and special poetry or Scripture.
- Sketch your tree in watercolor or crayon for your nature notebook.
- Sketch a tree and label the parts.
- Write a description of the roots of the tree.
- Hunt for fall poetry about trees. Copy into your nature notebook.
- Look up Scripture verses about trees. Copy into your nature notebook.
Flowers…
- Each week take a walk to collect new fall wildflowers around your neighborhood. Press into a scrapbook/nature notebook.
- Sketch and label flower parts.
- Hunt for poetry about the flowers that are blooming each week.
- Find Scripture verses to copy into your nature notebook about all flowers.
- Plant some flowers outside in your yard.
Birds…
- Time for bird migration. Read about it with the children. Go to any area that birds gather—observe!
- Take in any feeders for migratory birds.
- Don’t forget to feed any birds that stay around your home. Put one right outside of a big window so the children can watch the birds up close.
- Look for bird feathers. Keep in your nature notebook. Be sure to note where found, what kind of bird, and the date found.
Insects…
- Work on your bug collection.
- Hunt for insect homes—under rocks and fallen logs…in the bark of a tree…in corners of your home…anthills…under leaves…on plants…so on.
- Watch for flying ants.
- Go to a pond to collect water insects.
- Look for masses of ladybugs. They hibernate in large groups, nestled in the roots of grass.
Animals…
- Keep an amphibian or reptile overnight.
- Make a home for a new pet! Study all about what they eat and how they live most comfortably.
- Preserve a spider web. (see Ideas Section of Nature Study the Easy Way for details)
Plants…
- Experiment with seeds…hitchhiking seeds, germination, growth rate…so on!
- Collect wildflower seeds.
- Make a seed chart.
- Research to find which plants in your area have edible roots. Dig up some and give it a try.
- Hunt for fall mushrooms.
- Go gather pecans. Make a pecan pie.
- Go pick apples at an orchard. Make homemade applesauce or apple pies.
Astronomy…
- Keep a chart of the moon phases for a month—try October!
- Take an evening to spend stargazing.
- Watch a fall sunset.
Weather…
- Keep weather chart for the first two weeks of the season—begin October.
Collections…
- Take a day for each of your collections to maintain! (Rocks… shells… feathers… so on.)
Seasonal Table Ideas…
- Pumpkins
- Indian corn
- String of apple rings
- Mums
- Nut people
- Spatter leaf prints
- Autumn lanterns
- Autumn wreath
- Apples
- Colors: warm autumn golds/muted reds/orange/earthy greens
Need more encouragement? Need some practical how-to’s? Grab Cindy’s books and audios for HALF OFF! Just use the coupon code: ALLTHINGSNEW
