Embark on an enchanting journey of nature exploration with a DIY Nature Journal, designed to captivate young hearts and cultivate a deep appreciation for the natural world. Here we’ll guide you through the process of creating a beautiful Nature Journal using simple materials like construction paper, paper, twine or yarn, and a stick. Watch as your child’s journal becomes a window to the wonders of the great outdoors, preserving precious memories and sparking a lifelong connection with nature. So, let’s embark on this creative and nature-filled adventure together!
WILL YOU TRY CRAFTING YOUR DIY NATURE JOURNAL WITH YOUR CHILD? Pin it for later!
Materials
Before we begin, gather these materials to create your very own Nature Journal:
- Construction paper (for the cover)
- Plain paper (for journal pages)
- Twine or yarn
- A small stick (for binding)
- Hole punch
- Scissors
- Markers, crayons, or colored pencils (for decorating)
Crafting Your DIY Nature Journal
- Crafting the Cover:
Fold the construction paper in half for your journal cover.
- Creating the Journal Pages:
Fold plain white paper in half to form the pages of the journal. This blank canvas will soon be filled with your child’s observations, sketches, and discoveries from the great outdoors.
- Binding with Twine and Stick:
Place the blank sheets inside of the construction paper cover. Use the hole punch to create two holes along the left side of the cover and pages. Thread a piece of twine or yarn through the holes. Place a small stick as the binding. over the holes and tie the twine or yarn around the stick. This rustic touch not only adds charm but also holds the journal together securely.
- Personalizing Your Journal:
Encourage your child to add a personal touch to their journal by decorating the pages with drawings, pressed flowers, or any nature-inspired embellishments they discover during their adventures. Encourage your child to decorate the cover with drawings, nature-themed designs, or even their name. This cover will be the first glimpse into the world of their nature journal.
Exploring Nature with Your Journal
The DIY Nature Journal becomes a treasured companion as your child sets out on nature expeditions. They can record observations of plants, insects, animals, and even jot down their thoughts and feelings inspired by their surroundings. With each entry, the journal becomes a living record of their connection to the natural world.
Benefits of Keeping a Nature Journal
- Encourages Observation: The act of sketching and writing observations sharpens your child’s ability to observe and appreciate the intricate details of nature.
- Fosters Curiosity: A nature journal encourages kids to ask questions, seek answers, and delve deeper into their curiosity about the environment.
- Develops Writing and Art Skills: Journaling nurtures both writing and artistic skills, helping children express themselves in a creative and meaningful way.
- Cultivates Mindfulness: Connecting with nature through a journal encourages mindfulness and a sense of being present in the moment.
Crafting a Nature Journal is a heartwarming endeavor that intertwines creativity, exploration, and the great outdoors. With a cover crafted with love, pages brimming with observations, and a binding that holds memories close, this journal becomes a cherished keepsake of your child’s journey into the natural world. So, grab those materials and embark on a journey of wonder, curiosity, and creative expression through the pages of your very own Nature Journal!
Age Suitability
This activity is good for toddlers aged children 2 years old and up with adult assistance.
Mess Level
The mess level for this activity is medium.
Difficulty to Create
Low.
Skills Developed
Language development, shape recognition, color recognition, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, imaginative play, creativity.
Toddler and Preschooler Curriculums, Books & TV Show!
Play2Learn Toddler & Preschool Programs for Curious Toddlers
There is no limit to your toddler’s energy and curiosity. That energy and curiosity although a joy can be challenging at times. Their interest in just about everything around them is what makes them great learners. One and two year olds can soak up so much just from their senses!
But as a teacher or parent that thirst for learning can be exhausting. That is why I created this toddler and preschooler program. To help you get the most out of this time with your curious toddler without having to come up with creative ways to play and interact with them.
Play2Learn for Toddlers includes 20 Units for toddlers. Each 2-week toddler unit has 20 super easy to set up and engaging activities for toddlers 18 months to 3 years.
Play2Learn Preschool which includes 20 Units for preschoolers. Each 2-week preschoolers unit has 20 unique and easy to set up and engaging activities for preschoolers 3 years to 5 years. That’s over 800 learning activities for your toddler and preschooler at your fingertips! So many ideas you and your child will never be bored again!
These toddler and preschool lesson plans and activities will definitely keep you and your toddler and preschooler busy playing and learning!
Click here for more information: Play2Learn
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Exciting Sensory Bins for Curious Kids
Did you know I wrote a book of sensory bins? Click here for more information Exciting Sensory Bin for Curious Kids. Or grab your copy at Amazon.
Boring afternoons are made exciting with awesome animal-based bins, like Salty Shark Bay or Yarn Farm. Pretend play bins like Birthday Cake Sensory Play or Bubble Tea Party encourage creativity and imagination. And your kids will have so much fun they won’t even know they’re getting smarter with STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities like Sink or Float Soup, Magnetic Letter Hunt or Ice Cream Scoop and Count.
Designed for toddlers 18 months and up.
Book: Super STEAM Activity Book for Kids
Learning all about science, technology, engineering, art, and math sets kids up for scholastic success―and it can be so much fun! Watch kids enjoy building STEAM skills as they color friendly fish, help water find its way to tree roots, solve math problems with mazes, and more.
Find out more and grab your copy here.
Designed for preschoolers 3 years old and up.
Book: Big Book of Riddles for Kids
Riddle me this: What’s an exciting way to practice critical thinking while having a blast? The Big Riddle Book for Kids, of course! From hilarious puns to tough brain teasers, kids can build problem-solving skills with hundreds of riddles that show them how to think outside the box.
- 350 riddles for kids—Have hours of fun with riddles, puns and jokes, and math and logic puzzles that’ll get their wheels turning!
- Level up their skills—Riddles get trickier as kids progress through the book, challenging them as they get better at solving puzzles!
- Double-check their work—Kids can check their answers in the back of the book with a handy answer key.
Help children expand their minds while having fun with this puzzle book for kids!
Designed for kids ages 6 years old and up.
TV Show: Curious Crafting
I’m so excited to share my crafting TV show Curious Crafting which launched in July 2022 on TVOkids and TVOkids YouTube! Season 2 airs in the summer of 2023! We were also nominated in 2023 for Best Live Action Preschool Series by the Youth Media Alliance Awards of Excellence.
Set in the ultimate crafting space, Curious Crafting is a short form pre-school age series about the joy of making crafts. I lead a rotating cast of adorable little preschoolers (including my own) making magic out of common household objects.
In each episode we transform recycled items into magical crafts like a milk carton school bus, paper bag puppet or cotton pad turtle. The crafters learn and laugh their way through each activity while demonstrating what their young imaginations can create.
Curious Crafting shares the adventure and joy of making art with takeaway lessons for creating crafts at home.
This show designed for toddlers and preschoolers 2.5 years old and up.
WILL YOU TRY CRAFTING YOUR DIY NATURE JOURNAL WITH YOUR CHILD? Pin it for later!
