This year I have really tried making getting out and enjoying nature a priority in our home. It’s not always easy in the winter time considering I am NOT a cold weather person. I grew up in San Diego, we spent the winter outside, in the SUNSHINE. This snow on the ground, jackets and mittens thing is so foreign to me.

But- I’m not going to let the cold stop me from getting the kids out of the house, especially when there is so much to SEE in the winter. It’s interesting to me what you notice when the trees are bare and everything is blanketed in snow. Last month, the kids and I spent weeks learning about Moss and Lichen.

Fascinating stuff!

This month, We’re learning all about ice and snow. We had a fantastic time setting out to find the biggest icicle in the neighborhood! We really didn’t get very far because it was freezing, but it was still a wonderful adventure.

If you’re thinking about starting a nature study, I really recommend picking up the book, The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms. She breaks down activities for each month of the year to help motivate you to outside and learning about the world around you. We’ve been using it for about 6 months, and its hands down my favorite part of our homeschool curriculum.

I really feel like I’ve learned SO much this year, even though we normally end up with more questions then we find answers for.

You can check out what we’ve done with the Nature Connection here:

Nature Magnified
Identifying our Trees
Lichen
Winter Nature Walk
Animal Adaptations

Blog Cruise will go live on Tuesday, January 29. Check out what other bloggers have to say about doing a nature study in the winter!