Hello my name is Amaya. I am 14 years old and a fellow nature journaler. Today I am going to share about how to inspire children to nature journal. I have been nature journaling since I was ten years old. I started encouraging other kids to do it alongside me when I was about twelve.
Encouraging kids to nature journal can seem difficult but it's quite easy. If you want them to start journaling you need to lead by example and journal around them. Allow them to sit with you and watch your process. It will inspire them to do their own. There have been many times where I've been on a hike or in one of my homeschooling groups and children have come up to me and asked me if they could journal with me. Always say yes. It not only encourages them but you can learn from them as well. My friend John Muir Laws teaches others to use these three simple prompts when journaling: I notice, I wonder and it reminds me of. When a child sits with you can use these in your conversation with them. It is amazing what little kids come up with. Make sure to look over their pages and find something you can point out as a positive feedback. Do not just praise their “pretty pictures” try and point out examples of accurate observations. An example of this would be Instead of saying “I love that blue bird you drew” you can say “ I love how the bird on your page is in a tree. What else do you think lives in this tree?”
Another important part of inspiring kids to nature journal is to make it as fun as possible! Don’t worry about grammar, spelling or the pretty pictures. The toughest part about journaling with kids is that they get sucked into the world of pretty pictures. Make sure they are having fun and observing what is around them. Be as hands on as possible. Make sure to provide access to kid friendly supplies. Their own paint sets, water brush pens, kid friendly field guides, tape measures and magnify glasses are just a few examples.
Encourage kids to practice everyday. Trust me the more you practice the better you get. Nature journaling is NOT a talent it is more like a skill, like any skill it can be improved over time. I would also add to let them journal their way and journal what they want. What I mean by this is that it’s ok if they want to draw bugs and not birds. Their journal should be the observations of what they see.
The last important key to a successful nature journaling time with kids would be to make sure that the kids have all their basic needs met before you start. Food, water, dressed for the weather and they are not too tired. If you use these few simple suggestions I know you will have the kids in your life nature journaling in no time! Hope this inspires you to start today.
