(Editor’s note: We apologize for the loud background noise. We have reduced it as much as possible.)

Have you ever tried nature journaling? It is a great opportunity to deepen your experience in nature and practice academic skills in a fun, no-pressure way.

The Master Naturalists have created a template of Nature Passports to get families started and there are two for Phil Hardberger Park! You can download these passports or pick one up at our Greeter’s tables on Saturday mornings in the park.

Or, you can start your nature journal in any notebook you have available.

How to Get Started

To start, go out and explore the outdoors. In your notebook, mark the time, date, and location of your hike on the page.

Next, try loosely sketching out the path you took or something on your walk that caught your interest. Trace a leaf, or try your hand at recreating that neat bug you saw. Write something about your trip that you think would be useful to you later on. Was it an easy hike? Did you see lots of wildlife? Try making a small list of notable things you saw.

Keep Going

Getting out into nature on a regular basis is great for our physical and mental health.

Keep adding to your journal by going out on a regular basis and recording your experience. You might find in a short amount of time that you are building a beautiful record of your explorations.