I hope that this September Nature Note finds you & your loved ones well.
So many of you are new to Exploring Nature with Children, and are joining us for the first time. I’m thrilled that you’re joining us! If you subscribe to the blog posts on the website, You’ll receive the monthly Nature Note, which will give you an overview of the month ahead, and also the weekly Exploring Nature with Children theme posts, which I hope will be helpful to you in your studies.
Many of you have written to let me know that you’re joining us again this year (for some families, it will be their sixth year!) ENWC is written to be used year upon year for layered learning, so I am glad that you will be building your knowledge and experience of the natural world again this year. I am truly honoured that ENWC has been a part of your home education.
A quote to carry with you this September:
As you begin to explore nature with your child this year, I would encourage you to keep this quote close to your heart. Children often jump right into nature walks and nature study wholeheartedly. They’re able to move their bodies, explore, ask questions, and make discoveries. Some children are more hesitant, and the parent feels despondent, and sometimes, even as if they have failed their child. May I offer this quote from Miss Mason as a gentle reminder that your child may need time to develop the joy of the natural world, and studying nature. Consider what you would do if your child was resistant to their maths lessons, or learning their times tables. You would encourage, be kind, but nonetheless press firmly on…
For those of you who are using Exploring Nature With Children, this year is quite an unusual year! The Harvest Moon is the name of the full moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox. This year those two events both fall into the same week.
I have planned Harvest Moon Week from 13th – 19th Sept. When the Harvest Moon occurs on the 20th, you will have learned all about it & be ready to observe it’s beauty. Autumn Equinox Week will be from the 20th-25th Sept, with the equinox itself falling on the 22nd.
You are of course welcome to plan the weeks any way that you please, including combining the weeks.
I have scheduled the weeks for September as follows:
6th ~ 12th Week 1: Seed Week #ENWCseedweek
13th ~ 19th Week 3: Harvest Moon Week { The full moon falls on the 20th } #ENWCharvestmoonweek
20th ~ 26th Week 4 The Autumnal Equinox Week { The equinox itself falls on the 22nd } #ENWCautumnequinox
27th ~ 3rd Week 2: Minibeast Hunt Week #ENWCminibeastweek
If you’re over on Instagram, do pop over and say hello! The Instagram page is very much about community; think of it as your virtual home school co op! Our community uses the #exploringnaturewithchildren hashtag, & also specific weekly hashtags { see above } to enable you to connect with other families working through the ENWC curriculum.
There’s a free ENWC calendar for the year to download here.
As always, please work the weeks to suit your own circumstances best; these are just my own suggestions!
Warm September brings the fruit,
Sportsmen then begin to shoot.
~ The Months by Sara Coleridge
Special days this September:
- 6th: Labour Day (CAN) Labor Day (USA)
- 20th The full Harvest Moon
- 19th / 26th Harvest Festival: the traditional dates that churches hold their services. See below for the RLS resource to help your own family celebrate this special season of the natural & Christian year.
- 22nd The Autumnal Equinox
- 29th Michaelmas
As the season of bounty is upon us, you may enjoy using Celebrating the Seasons with Children : : The Harvest Festival
A handbook written to guide you, step by step, in creating a meaningful and authentic celebration of the Harvest Festival for your own family. Find out more by clicking on the above link.
Happy exploring!
