I hope that this Nature Note finds you well!
September marks the beginning of a new year with Exploring Nature With Children (though you can jump in at any point of the year with this curriculum). If you’re joining us for the first time, I’m so very excited for you!
Nature Study bears real fruit in our home school, in the lives of our children, and in ourselves:
“Consider, too, what an unequalled mental training the child-naturalist is getting for any study or calling under the sun -the powers of attention, of discrimination, of patient pursuit, growing with his growth, what will they not fit him for?” Miss Mason
Little by little, we can do this!
For those of you who are using Exploring Nature With Children, the weeks fall as follows:
2nd ~ 8th Week 1: Seed Week
9th ~ 15th Week 3: Harvest Moon Week { The Harvest Moon falls on the 14th }
16th ~ 22nd Week 2 Minibeast Hunt
23rd ~ 29th Week 4 The Autumnal Equinox { The Equinox falls on the 23rd }
There’s a free calendar for the year to download here.
If you’re over on Instagram, do pop over and say hello! Our community uses the #exploringnaturewithchildren hashtag, if you would like to join in. I love to see your ENWC adventures, so please feel free to tag me, and I may share your photograph on my own Instagram page.
As always, please work the weeks to suit your own circumstances best; these are just my own suggestions!
It’s a perfect time of the year for foraging. Keep a look out for the hedgerows bursting with goodies: hips, haws, elderberries, hazelnuts, and sloes. During WWII here in Britain, children were encouraged to collect rose hips, which were made into National rose hip syrup, by the Ministry of Health and this was sold in in chemists’ shops in England, Scotland, and Wales. Rose hips are a valuable source of vitamin C, which was much needed during times of food rationing.
Blackberry pies and crumbles are a firm favourite here at this time of year, and I have begun to make raspberry flavoured gin for grown up Christmas presents. The instructions if you are interested can be found here. Do let me know what you have been foraging for this month, and do keep in touch and let me know how you get on with ENWC.
Happy exploring!