Nature + Season-Based Learning
As summer was coming to a close in 2022, I looked around me and saw two very curious little girls and a bunch of cold months with more and more time spent indoors ahead of us. Marin had recently turned three and Zoe was about to turn one. We had survived nearly a year with two little ones in tow, but I didn’t want to just ‘survive’ anymore. I thrive on structure and organization, so I decided to create my own.
I’ve always been a very curious person. Exploring what’s right outside my window is fascinating for me, and I was noticing our girls were equally as curious. Marin was starting to have a lot of questions about the world around her, so I decided I might as well lean into it. I wanted to figure out ways to better answer her questions but also teach her how to answer her own. Nature felt like the perfect place to start, so I pulled open an Excel spreadsheet and started to plan. I looked into a few homeschool curriculums, but nothing felt right for us. Instead, I assigned a theme (mostly nature/season-based) to each week for an entire year. I tried to coordinate with what we would be seeing outside at the time. For example, lightning bugs in late June, watermelon in July, birds flying south in the fall, etc. I looked up ideas to coordinate as we went along and decided to just wing it.
A full year later and I can confidently say it was the best decision I could have made for us. The girls wake up each day and immediately ask what we’re talking about today. Marin calls it “art time”. Some days they sit at the table for an hour or more, and others they are too wiggly to even make it to the table. We’ve learned to adapt to the changing weather, seasons, activities, and daily demands. It’s exactly what I needed, and I think we’ve all been better off for it.
I’m by no means an expert, nor do I have any formal training in early learning (I’m an engineer!). I just know what I enjoy and what my girls enjoy, so I structured our days and lessons around those areas. As it made sense and I became more comfortable with the new routine, I started introducing letters, numbers, science, math, geography, art, etc. I’m not interested in the girls being geniuses, but I do hope they learn to stay curious and how to find answers for themselves.
I’ve had a lot of questions over the last year regarding resources, supplies, prep materials, links, etc. I’ve tried to summarize the vast majority of what we use, but things are always changing. I’ve provided links to a few of our favorite and most used items below, but the best source for the most up-to-date list of items can always be found on my Amazon Storefront.
First and foremost, do not feel like you have to go spend a ton of money to do this in your home. There are tons of amazing resources available today, and while beautiful, some can be incredibly expensive! You do not have to shell out tons of cash to make it successful. We have slowly added to our collection over time as it became apparent that we enjoyed it and would be sticking with it, but I still find the vast majority of my supplies and resources for absolutely free. Pinecones, sticks, rocks, etc. make perfect supplies and Pinterest is my very best resource for free printables. It just takes some time.
r e s o u r c e s
pinterest / social media
The vast majority of the ideas and printables I use come from Pinterest or accounts I follow on social media. There are tons of free options available, you just have to be willing to spend the time to find them.
stephanie hathaway designs
If you are looking for educational materials inspired by nature, Stephanie Hathaway makes our favorite. The content is beautiful, simple, and easy to adapt to any age. There are often sales on complete seasonal bundles (sometimes upwards of 70% off), so I always wait and purchase at those times.
mornings together
I haven’t purchased anything from Mornings Together, but I do get a lot of ideas from their content and have used pretty much all of the printables from their “Freebies” section. If I were just starting out and had no idea where to start, I’d definitely consider their Nature Alphabet Guide as a one and done option for little ones (preschool/pre-k ages).
The resources listed above are some of our most used and referenced, but below are a few more worth exploring in alphabetical order:
I’ve found a ton of great supplies in the dollar section at Target. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Be sure to check out your local thrift stores, too. You can find baskets, books, and all kinds of loose parts for next to nothing.
**Also wanted to mention that I get asked about the felt letters + numbers we use all the time. They are from Elm & Otter, but they are unfortunately no longer in business. I don’t have experience with any other brands to recommend, but you may look into these similar options: Teolia Felt Alphabet, Jack and Liv Creatives, Tara Treasures.
be sure to visit my AMAZON STOREFRONT for the most up-to-date list of supplies we are using!
s u p p l i e s
“When do you prep everything? Where do you store it all? What kind of printer do you use?”
The prep work is not something to be taken lightly. I will say, however, that once you get in a groove, it really does get so much easier. I print everything right at home, but there are also online resources you can use to print things if that’s easier for you. I can definitely see the benefit of using those if you’re interested in purchasing full homeschool curriculum and printing everything up front. Printing at home on an as-needed basis just worked better for us, but by all means do what works best for your situation.
I store all of our paper/printables in 3-ring binders. I keep one binder for every season. I store all of the STUFF that coordinates in big clear plastic bins. I keep one of those for every season as well, and they are stored in our basement. I can definitely see the benefit of having a room/space dedicated to learning if you were going to homeschool full time, but we’ve made it all work just fine by storing things close by yet out of sight and pulling them out when we need them.
Using items you already own or can gather from right outside your backdoor is always a great idea. I’d start there and try to think outside the box before investing in lots of gear. You just never know what you really need and will use until you get started, so don’t overwhelm yourself with junk.
be sure to visit my AMAZON STOREFRONT for the most up-to-date list of supplies we are using!
p r e p
be sure to visit my AMAZON STOREFRONT for the most up-to-date list of supplies we are using!
This post is not sponsored or in partnership with any of the aforementioned brands but the article contains affiliate links. When you shop via the links above I may make commission on a sale at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.