Nature Journals: A Starter Guide for Kids

By Nina Walsh · September 27, 2026

What Is a Nature Journal?

A nature journal is a personal record of outdoor observations — sketches, notes, pressed leaves, weather data, and questions about the natural world.

Getting Started

Choose the Right Notebook

A hardcover sketchbook with mixed-media paper works best. It handles pencil, colored pencil, watercolor, and glue. Spiral binding lays flat for field work.

Basic Tools

Pack a small field kit: pencils, colored pencils, a magnifying glass, a ruler, and a glue stick.

Prompts for Every Season

Spring

Sketch the first flower you find blooming
Count how many bird species you hear in 5 minutes
Track a puddle's size change over a week

Summer

Press and label five different leaf shapes
Draw an insect at three different magnifications
Record sunset time and colors for a month

Fall

Collect and identify seeds from five trees
Sketch the same tree each week as it changes
Map where squirrels hide acorns in your yard

Winter

Catch a snowflake on dark paper and sketch it fast
Track animal footprints in snow
Note which birds stay through winter