A Nature Study Curriculum Can Help Your Family Experience the Great Outdoors

As an introverted homeschool mom, I sometimes realize that it has been a few days since we have ventured outside. But with two active boys and a teenager at home, I think it is critical to spend some time outdoors, weather permitting, as often as possible. We always see an improvement in attitudes and the overall vibe of our home after we have ventured outside. Even if just for a bit!

And I also find that we are more consistent getting outdoors when we have some accountability. That is why we have used nature curriculum in the past. Especially in the younger years, we enjoyed combining art and nature and following a weekly plan to learn about nature. But if I don’t have a curriculum or something to hold me accountable, I know it won’t happen consistently.

As my children are getting older, I found another option that challenges us to get outside regularly as a family, and I have to share it with you! Especially if you are like me and need something to keep you vested. And it works perfectly as a family-friendly nature curriculum where I can combine our wide span of ages. 

Before we go too far, though, remember that learning about nature isn’t just a supplemental add-on to your home education studies. Learning about nature is science! All of your nature study fun counts toward science for the day or week. How cool is that?

So, without further ado, if you haven’t heard about Homeschool Nature Study yet, let me introduce you! We have been homeschooling for almost fourteen years now, and how did I not know about them yet? I found out about Homeschool Nature Study because some of my favorite people, the owners of YOU ARE An ARTiST, recently acquired them! And I am so glad that they did; it gave me a reason to try out their fantastic nature study membership! And not only that, but I had also been itching for an excuse to get Anna Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study for a while. 

Here are 3 Reasons You Should Add a Nature Study Membership to Your Homeschool 

Nature IS Science – Too often, we homeschool moms fall into the trap of sticking to our science textbooks; we think we will miss something if we veer from it. But the truth is, we are missing something. We are missing the opportunity to get out in nature and view it first-hand! We are missing the connection to nature that you just don’t get from a textbook or still images. We miss the smells, changes in weather, and seasons. There is a genuine connection to the earth and our creator that we don’t get to experience if we are inside hovering over a textbook each day. Take your one-room classroom outside, even if for just a day each week or a brief time, education is all around you. The Homeschool Nature Study Membership is precisely what you need if you feel like you are trapped in a boring rut with your science curriculum or need a break from your mundane homeschool routine. 

Enjoy Family-Style Learning – Most of you who know or follow me know how much I adore family-style homeschooling. Any opportunity I have to include all three of my children in one subject, class, or activity – I am for it! Not only do I appreciate opportunities to learn as a family, but family-style homeschooling also saves me time. I have never been a fan of running from child to child as we homeschool, so I combine as much as possible. With a membership at Homeschool Nature Study, you can combine all of your children and learn right alongside them. Homeschool Nature Study encourages you to enjoy nature as a family, and you will learn so much together. Your kids will absolutely love the togetherness in nature and all of the exciting new things they will learn about. 

You Need Accountability – I touched on the accountability aspect as I began this post. Still, it might be essential for some of you, who like me, need it. Accountability through the nature challenges offered in this curriculum is a great way to keep your family committed to getting outside and engaging with nature on a consistent basis. Homeschool Nature Study has some incredible outdoor challenges that will keep your family excited to continue learning in nature all year round!

What You Will Get Out of a Membership from Homeschool Nature Study:

• Self-Paced: Homeschool Nature Study Curriculum is designed for your family to use at your convenience. Incorporate it into your homeschool whenever you can, daily, weekly, or a few times each month. There are no strict schedules to keep up with. 
• Convenience & Time Saving: As much as I would love to curate a nature curriculum for my family, I have to be realistic. I just don’t have the time in this season of homeschooling, but everything I need is conveniently bundled together from Homeschool Nature Study. It saves me so much time, and we can just open and go. There is no planning required of me.  
• Guided: Even though the curriculum is self-paced, it is guided. There is a prompt for each day. So we get to enjoy all of the fun daily nature prompts we think we would like and skip the ones we don’t. It is nice to have options and fit them into our routine. 
• Content: You get access to eight seasonal courses and the Handbook of Nature Study Outdoor Hour Challenge Curriculum. Getting Started, Winter, Winter Wednesdays, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Wildflowers, and Garden. If you snag the annual membership, you get courses for mom, nature art lessons, additional nature e-books, and lots more. 
• How-To Knowledge: From how to get started, how to create field guide cards, and how to curate your own nature tray! It’s all in here, literally everything you need to know to enjoy quality nature study as a family. So whether you are a complete novice to an experienced nature-loving family, you will have everything you need right at your fingertips. 

 

The membership options are flexible and affordable! Choose from an annual membership (we prefer this one, you get access to EVERYTHING) or try a monthly membership. 

If you are like me and looking to commit to getting your family outdoors more consistently, I highly recommend a membership to Homeschool Nature Study! Don’t forget to get your FREE Guide to Getting Started here.