If you’re looking for an activity that will teach your kids science, cultivate their curiosity and critical thinking skills, and help them develop a love for the land, then this is the perfect activity for you!

Nature study is more than merely an outdoor activity, it’s an investment in our children and their future. It helps them learn to think critically and scientifically, and it connects them to the land in a very real and personal way. Plus, it’s an easy activity that any parent can do with their child of any age.

Nature study is important because it:

1. Teaches the Scientific Method

Nature study teaches the very foundations of science and the activity that I designed will walk you and your child through the first two steps of the scientific method, observation and questioning. Click here for a workbook that includes instructions, guiding questions, and a worksheet for completing a nature study.

2. Cultivates Curiosity

Because nature study incorporates the scientific method, it can also help cultivate your child’s curiosity. Curiosity is a skill that comes naturally to small children; however, many of us tend to become less curious and inquisitive over time. By teaching your child how to observe the natural world, and actually taking the time to do it, you can help them cultivate their skills of curiosity and critical thinking.

3. Makes Nature Personal

In order to maintain important relationships in our lives, we have to spend quality time with those people. The same is true for nature. If you want your child to learn to love nature and be curious about it, they need to spend time in nature and with nature. They need to learn the name of the wildflower that grows on the roadside and the name of the bird that sings outside their window every morning.

If you’d like to learn more about how to get your child outdoors and connected to the land, check out my eBook!

4.Leads to Stewardship

If we can help our kids develop a personal relationship with nature, then they are more likely to take care of it. This trend can be seen in the scientific research as well as in our own lives. It doesn’t matter what you do with your kids outside, what matters is that you’re out there, together, having fun.

5. Creates Happier, Healthier, Smarter Kids

There is so much research that points to the positive benefits of nature for our children. In fact, to get started, click here to receive a list of benefits that have been supported through scientific research! Remember, you really can’t go wrong with nature experiences – you can go on a hike, have a sword fight with sticks, do a formal learning activity, garden together, or just look at blue and green spaces. All are beneficial for our children.

For a little more explanation on why and how to do a nature study with your kids, watch the video below.