Are you looking for nature study books for your homeschool or after school? Then, let me share a few of our favorites with you.
The first three have beautiful illustrations and each topic is only a page or two so it’s great for short attention spans. The fourth book, which is completely separate from the first three is an outdoor curriculum. It comes with lessons plans and a supplies list. The fifth book has short excerpts just like the first three, but it also teaches skills. If you are new to exploring the outdoor world, these five books are a great jump starter.
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Diving into nature study books –
The Julia Rothman Collection
The Julia Rothman Collection are the most beautiful nature study books you will ever find. The illustrations are accurate and mesmerizing and are accompanied by short explanations of all things nature. Sometimes we don’t even have to read it, I can leave it on the floor and the kids will lay down, open it up and just read or gaze at the drawings.
Quality Lesson Plans for Outdoor Education
Quality Lesson Plans for Outdoor Education has everything from fishing, camping, canoeing, to archery. The lesson plans provide information on supplies, how to perform the tasks, safety tips, and so much more. This book is great for preparing for an outdoor adventure and learning what you should and shouldn’t do.
We had been fishing a few times before we read this nature study book, but reading through the fishing chapter helped us to gain a few more tricks that we hadn’t been aware of before.
My 10-year-old son also loves archery, but it had been several years before he had had any lessons. We read the archery chapter as a refresher before he jumped back into lessons, and it helped him to feel more confident when he got back out there.
Then, there’s canoeing, which we hadn’t ventured out to tackle yet. We have been reading the chapter on canoeing, learning the ins and outs of what to do, and acquiring our canoeing supplies. The chapter has helped us feel less afraid of this task that we haven’t had the privilege to take part in before.
One thing to note is that half of the book is on a CD-ROM, so it might not be effective for everyone.
Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars
This book is absolutely fantastic! Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars has so much outdoor information assembled in a way that kids want to pick out an adventure to learn more about it. Each topic covers just a few pages and includes activities that kids can choose to complete. If you want a nature study book that is just for the kiddos, this would be it.
There’s a section on catching fish, reading a compass, building a fire, constellations, and so much more. My kids don’t always want to sit and read how to do things, but this book makes it fun by adding in small amounts of information with fun tasks to help bring the words to action.
If you’ve got a resistant going outsider or you just want an interesting, educational, and fun outdoorsy read, then pick this book up by Steven Rinella. This book is the children’s companion book to his adult nature study book called Outside Kids in an Inside World. If you ever need inspiration on how good it is for our kids to experience more of mother nature, then I suggest reading Outside Kids in an Inside World along with Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars.
To finish this off –
I hope you gained some outdoor inspiration from these great books. We made a goal to strive toward finishing the 1000 Hours Outside coloring page by Ginny Yurich by the end of 2024. These books have helped me regain screen free week at our house (it’s honestly the best week), and to motivate me to get out more.
I have noticed so many more sunsets and cold early mornings because of these books. I have loved every minute of it. My birthday lands on a Tuesday this year and I decided to invite lots of our friends to go hiking with us for my birthday morning. Never in my life did I think I would do that, on my birthday, but I honestly cannot stand electronics, phones, or being cooped up in the house all the time anymore. My world has been changed for the better because I recognize the outside world more than I used to. I hope these books can give you inspiration and momentum to achieve your outdoor goals with your family.
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From one rookie outdoorsy mom to all of you,
