Step 1: Observe

Use the theme of each day to guide you and focus your attention on nature. Find examples of the theme and make observations. A way of sparking your curiosity and guiding your nature journaling is to finish these three simple sentences: 

• I notice….

• I wonder…

• It reminds me of… 

Another way is to focus on each of the five senses. What do you see/hear/feel/smell/taste when observing nature in this way?

Remember - your journal pages are your own and they will be completely unique. These are just suggestions to get you started. Take what works for you and enjoy the process!

Step 2: Record

Record your observations on your journal page in whatever way feels good for you. If you love drawing, fill your pages with drawings of what you see! If you love words, write a story or a poem about the things you observe. If you love numbers, quantify, measure or count what you see and record this on your page. Start with whichever approach feels most comfortable for you, then add elements of the other two to widen your scope and add depth to your pages.

 Step 3: Reflect

What questions does it bring up? Write down your questions on your page! You don’t need to have all the answers. Questions increase curiosity and generate more questions. You are cultivating your mind and your sense of wonder. Did you observe or notice something in response to the theme that you had never seen or thought about before? 

How does this make you feel? Are you able to let yourself drop into the flow of the activity and enjoy the calm that it brings? This is one of the most precious aspects of nature journaling!

 Step 4: Share

We would love to see your journal pages! There are many different ways you can share:

On Instagram and Twitter you can use the hashtag #naturejournalingweek. Tag your friends in your posts so that they can join the fun too!

You can join the International Nature Journaling Week Facebook Group to share your pages with others. You can also share your pages on Facebook at The Nature Journal Club.

You can brighten someone’s day by creating an email postcard of your journal page, or sketch directly on a postcard size piece of paper and send this by snail mail!

How about asking a friend or family member to participate in International Nature Journaling Week with you, or participate as a school or community group? You can respond to the daily prompts and then compare to see similarities and differences. You will learn from each other’s observations.

now you’re ready to head over to the Program page to join in the fun!