6 Best Charlotte Mason Nature Journal Resources
Nature study is one of our favorite aspects in the Charlotte Mason method. But sometimes, those of us who have done it over many years can forget how difficult it can be to get started. What do you do when your child doesn’t seem interested, or doesn’t know how to draw from observation?
In this post, we hope to recommend some of the best resources that we believe can help you be more intentional with nature study.
Top 6 Resources for Charlotte Mason Nature Study and Journaling
Here are some of our top recommendations to inspire and equip you for Charlotte Mason nature study and journaling:
1. The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
When we were just starting out in the CM method, I found a copy of The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady at a thrift store. We were amazed at the beautiful illustrations and wondered how they were able to sketch and paint when the objects were moving! That really inspired us to up our nature journalling! We also loved how each page had some passage that was equally beautifully done in calligraphy style.
2. Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock
The Handbook of Nature Study is in the public domain, which means you can access it for free on Project Gutenberg, but I really don’t recommend using it as an e-book. I’ve tried it, and unless you intend to read it cover to cover, you won’t really get much use from it.
As a hard copy, though, it’s thick and heavy, but a great resource that you can use as a reference throughout your kids’ homeschool years. A worthy investment, in my opinion!
Or, if you prefer to have this book split into “installments,” Amazon also carries these versions:
3. The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling
I think The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling can be a great beginner’s guide, and when I say beginner, not just a beginner to nature study but even to drawing! Isn’t that a common objection we have for nature journaling, “but I’m not an artist!” This book is right at par with Miss Mason’s belief that we don’t have to be expert artists, but that nature study trains our observation skills and makes us better artists!
4. How to Teach Nature Journaling: Curiosity, Wonder, Attention by John Muir Laws
You can download a free PDF of How to Teach Nature Journaling on the John Muir Laws website, but when I downloaded mine, it seemed a bit too bulky to print, especially with all the full-color pages, so buying the hard copy seems so much easier!
5. The Laws Guide to Drawing Birds by John Muir Laws
The Laws Guide for Drawing Birds is a great resource to start bird watching. For us as a family, bird watching is what really made nature study “click,” and yes, we’ve found that it’s not that easy to draw birds! Each different kind actually has unique shapes and textures, and this book can be a great help.
6. A Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola
A Pocketful of Pinecones isn’t a nature study guide per se, but a story that can inspire you to do nature study with your children! And guess what, it’s written by Karen Andreola, one of the pioneers for bringing back Miss Mason’s teachings into the homeschool community. As Miss Mason advocates the power of story, I think this book in story form is a great way of instilling the value of nature study in our hearts as mothers!
Investing in Nature Study
Nature study is not just a school requirement in the Charlotte Mason method; it can also enrich your family life! We encourage you as parents to try your hand at it alongside your child, and you may be surprised at the wonders it can work in your heart and mind!
