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Nature diaries are a well established feature of nature study with adults and older children, but what about using nature diaries for young children who cannot write or draw so well?
Can it be done successfully? The answer is yes and we show you how! We start by showing you how to help your child to make his/her own nature diary and then how to use it.
Make your own nature notebook.
Although it is easy to buy such things, the making of his/her own nature diary by a child is a worthwhile exercise in diligence and the finished article will be so much more cherished because the child made it him or her self. It is simple to do and does not need to be long: for young children it is best if each book lasts no longer than a month as younger children like change. You will need a piece of A4 card for the cover and then 8 pages of good quality cartridge paper of about 170 gsm for the pages. See resources. Fold each piece in half, including the card. Lay the pages in a pile with the card at the bottom, ensuring that all edges are flush and the folds are together. Using a sharp needle make three holes evenly spaced down the centre fold, passing through all sheets. Keeping the pages together, thread the needle with some strong thread and starting with the middle hole (and leaving long end), go down, back to the middle, up, back to the middle, three of four times. On the last time, cut the thread with plenty to spare as you approach the middle for the last time. Tie the two ends together securely. If you have a guillotine you may like to trim the edges of the book to make the pages flush. Decorate the front covers beautifully - this could be an art lesson in and of itself. Encourage the child to take great delight in his/her nature diary.
Keeping the Nature Diary Keeping a nature diary requires patience and persistency. These are good traits to be developed in young children, however the parent will need to encourage and supply with fresh ideas to be recorded. There is a need here for variety, to keep interest alive. Each entry should of course record the date. Sometimes observations will centre around the weather, or clouds, or wind. At other times on plants and others on birds, insects or animals. On other occasions there may be opportunity to study footprints in mud or snow. As each book is completed, it will form a diary of the child’s experiences and adventures in nature. However, although it is good to make such a diary, and should be encouraged, and most children will happily take up the suggestion, especially when they see the enthusiasm of others, there may be some who do not. Be careful of causing a distaste for the subject by compelling those with no real desire to record in this way to do so. These diaries will be individual. Even children within the same family may not all record the same aspect of say a nature ramble. One may have been looking up at the sky, while another studied the ground. Allow for individuality. Entries will not necessarily be works of art at this stage - that is not important. Each entry should have the date, and a simple sentence to say what was found/observed. If desired, a simple sketch/illustration can be added. Obviously the older the child the more they may wish to record. Obviously best work should be encouraged.
If your child enjoys nature studies, you will find plenty more things to learn and do in
Nature Explorers the Christian monthly nature magazine for children aged 4 to 8, all based on a 6 day Creation. Priced at: £8 for a PDF version delivered by e-mail £32 for a high quality print edition delivered to your door. Please see www.natureobservations.weebly.com for further information.
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Welcome!After studying for an Early Years Specialism degree (B.Ed. Hons), and teaching in mainstream education, I home-educated my own children, after my husband and I were persuaded of the need to take responsibility for bringing up our children 'in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.' (Ephesians 6:4) We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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