I have asked Pam Knudson if she would share with us about Outdoor Education. There is information at the bottom of the page about her classes should you wish to take one.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein

Spending time in nature strengthens mental health, improves focus and concentration, supports creativity and cognitive functioning and is a great way to get some exercise—but you knew that already.  You may already value nature study but what you may not know is how to squeeze another subject and the related planning into your homeschool week.

But what if prioritizing nature study could help support your whole homeschool year in a powerful way? Here are a few easy ways to make outdoor education a simple, refreshing, purposeful addition to your home education and you can start this spring!

Do it Together

• Don’t just send them out to play; go with them!
• Tell them it’s okay to get wet, dirty, and messy and that goes for you too!
• Plan to do things together outside. Build a fort out of large sticks, plant a garden, play a game.

Be Present

• Teach your kids to listen, look, smell, touch and taste. Model being fully present outside.
• Be present by getting lost! Lay on your back and watch clouds with your kids.
• Listen and talk to your child. Often a new environment can make conversations spark.
• Sometimes just being quiet together outside can help them focus more on nature.

Take A Hike

• Take a walk or hike with your children. Try a variety of parks or new places. Schedule a hike once a week with your family or as a meet up with friends.
• You can also go on a programmed park hike. You would be amazed at what you can learn with your kids.
• Try a unique hike like a color or texture hike or make a list of things you saw or heard.

Bring A Tool

• Grab your camera or cell phone and take pictures together. Children often can take pictures from a fun or unique perspective.
• Bring a magnifying glass or jeweler’s loupe or zoom in with that camera or a magnifying glass. You would be amazed at how different things look close up. It can truly open up a new world for you and your children.
• Take binoculars along. Looking at birds, small animals or landscapes close up can bring so much to life for you and your children.
• Grab a field guide or pull one up on your phone. Sometimes having a focus for your time outside can make it really engaging.
• Book-Grab a great book from the library about any local nature focus. Read it outside and then find it! For example; you could read a book about maple trees then go find maple trees and maybe find a place that does maple sugaring.

Take a Class with Me!

Pamela Knudson ( B.Sc.Ed. & OCVN) Experienced Educator & Certified Naturalist

• Yea, it is totally a plug for my classes but I promise they are really good and will launch your homeschool nature studies into an exciting, and engaging journey. So let me introduce myself…Hi There, I am Pam.  I am a fellow homeschool parent, and an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist. I taught in the public school system before starting my family and homeschooling my children. I am passionate about nature and education! I teach nature themed classes to children all over the world. You can click on my profile, scroll down and see all the classes I offer.

• Nature Journal BasicsThis is my most popular class.  Nature Journaling is a fantastic way for students observe, and get their thinking on paper. My basics class teaches kids basic tools to help them to better observe and think about nature. It is a class that often has children from all over the world sharing the nature they encounter through their journal. NATURE JOURNAL BASICS 

• Nature Journal Club–
  • A fun way to connect with other students and embrace nature journaling and make it their own. NATURE JOURNAL CLUB  
• Art and Nature
• Nature and art blend beautifully in my short nature art series. Students will learn about an artist and a nature focus of their art. They will learn some nature facts about that focus and make an inspired art project. ART AND NATURE CLASS 
• Great Deals– If you are new to Outschool I can give you a code to get $20 off of any class. And because you are reading my friend Lisa McAfee’s blog, I can offer you an additional discount! Just let me know when you sign up that you know Lisa and, of course, love her blog!