Year long nature adventure...

     I have decided, after talking to the kids, that we are going to begin a nature study adventure to last an entire year. I can not take credit for the idea, I have been enjoying a blog that had posted about their year long pond study. Yet, after reading these posts, I just kept thinking to myself how much my kids would enjoy something like that. So, the plan is that this Friday we will begin our one-year nature study.

My homeschool playgroup has a nature hike this Friday at a nearby nature center. Along the way the kids and I will decide which location we want to be our "study spot". We will observe and enjoy more than that one spot, but I would like us to really focus on one area so that we can notice even the tiny little changes that will occur in a years time.

I am thinking that we will keep it very simple and take some pictures, maybe do a few crafty type things, a little journaling (mainly drawings and such) and possibly even have my oldest write up a blog post here and there about our adventures with this nature study. Though I would like for us to really just spend time in nature and enjoy God's beautiful gifts to us. I am picturing my kiddos on their bellies looking over the bridge into the stream, or sitting at the edge of the pond looking for frogs and turtles.

As we begin this, I am making a promise to myself to make sure we get out each week for our nature adventure. Even if we go and simply watch for the birds, and the other many animals that call the nature center home, the time spent just observing will be a wonderful experience for the kids as well as myself.


If you were to do a one year study, what would it be?
With kids, without kids, either way, what would you love to spend each week doing and learning?