This year I am so excited to be participating for the first time in a REAL Nature Study! I’ve been pinning and bookmarking links from the Outdoor Hour Challenge for months now, and the first challenge begins on September 1st! If you’ve never heard of this before, I highly recommend looking into it! It’s a challenge based on Anna Comstock’s book Handbook of Nature Study (an Ambleside recommended and Charlotte Mason style approach to studying nature), designed to help families GET OUTDOORS in their own backyards and explore God’s creation – and it’s just a few minutes a day, about an hour a week! But I bet, once you start, you won’t be able to keep it to just an hour ;0)
If you’ve ever struggled, like me, with figuring out how to fit nature study and outdoor time into your schedule as a busy homeschooling family, look no further and stress no longer! There’s going to be great ideas, tips, blog posts, notebooking pages and LOTS of guidance for how to get out and enjoy nature. I hope you’ll join us on the outdoor hour challenge!
There are also some other great ebooks available through the website – you can buy in bundles by season, or individually – tree studies, bird studies, weather studies, garden flowers and plants, animals. It’s all there on the Handbook of Nature Study blog! Go now and check it out! You won’t be sorry!
I thought I would share some Top Ten Instagram pics I’ve captured over the last little while on our family walks or spending time in the backyard to inspire you to love what God has created and make a point of studying it even more. The Psalmist was right when he said “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” ~ Psalm 19:1.
1. Baby robins in the nest beside our porch.
2. Massive storm clouds in our backyard.
3. Beautiful morning sunrise over the pond.
4. Sunrise and fog.
5. Monarch and an oak tree.
6. Reading underneath the trees.
7. A praying mantis!
8. Cool mornings – new mercies.
9. Layers of clouds.
10. Sunrise on the beach during family vacation.
What inspires you to get out and get close up with God’s creation?
