Nature can be found anywhere – even in your own neighborhood! Plants and animals can be found just outside your door; you just need to use your senses, pay attention, and take the time to appreciate the nature close by.
The printable activity sheets below provide you with a guide to start nature journaling. Head to the backyard, the garden, the front porch, a park, or just to a window with a view to begin your nature journaling adventure! Example sheets are provided if you need a little extra guidance or inspiration.
Your Friendly Neighborhood Bugs
There’s a tiny universe hidden in your neighborhood! You can find small beasts under rotting leaves, in the corner of the shed, or resting on a flower. All these critters play an important role in our ecosystem, so take the time to observe one and write or draw your observations on this activity sheet.
Our Fine Feathered Friends
California is home to more than 600 species of birds. Even in your neighborhood, you can usually see (and hear) many kinds of birds. Use this worksheet to guide some of your observations on a bird in your neighborhood.
Poetry in Your Place
Observing nature is more than recording facts or making accurate drawings. Nature can be emotional, inspiring, and thought-provoking. This worksheet can guide you in using words in a different way to record your experience with nature.
Leaves: Compare and Contrast
Plants are an extraordinary example of the diversity we can observe between two similar objects. Look outdoors, in your house, or even in the refrigerator, and find two different leaves. Use this worksheet to help you compare your two leaf specimens.
Sensing Your Surroundings
Humans have five senses: taste, touch, sight, smell, and hearing. We can use our senses to observe and connect with nature in different ways. Use this worksheet to see how many ways you can observe nature in one spot.