The start of our Nature Journals...

Today We started Nature Studies, I bought each of the children their own sketch book to start a nature journal, the ones I originally wanted were from an art shop and cost around £7 each, I wouldn't mind if it were just for the one, but when you have 3 children to buy for, as you can imagine it's not cheap.  So we found some in What! for £2.50, and insha Allah they'll do the job :)

(excuse the funny colour on the hand, occurred post processing!)

We started close to home today.... in the back garden, Ds5 did get a little distracted along the way, and started drawing vampires! but along with his magnifying glass he seemed to enjoy the exploring.

I came across a lovely site today, which inspired me to get started with the nature journals, and hopefully insha Allah we can work on them regularly.

I printed some leaf and flower i.d sheets for them to stick in the back of their journals, for later referencing, and also printed off a 'blackberry hunt' worksheet to go out and do either this week or next week.

Charlotte Mason would say about Nature Study.....

This is all play to the children, but the mother is doing invaluable work; she is training their powers of observation and expression, increasing their vocabulary and their range of ideas by giving them the name and the uses of an object at the right moment,--when they ask, 'What is it?' and 'What is it for?'
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.46-7 )

All this is stale knowledge to older people, but one of the secrets of the educator is to present nothing as stale knowledge, but to put himself in the position of the child, and wonder and admire with him; for every common miracle which the child sees with his own eyes makes of him for the moment another Newton.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.54 )

As soon as he is able to keep it himself, a nature-diary is a source of delight to a child.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.54 )

Mothers and Teachers should know about Nature.--The mother cannot devote herself too much to this kind of reading, not only that she may read tit-bits to her children about matters they have come across, but that she may be able to answer their queries and direct their observations.
(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.64)