It’s almost Winter Birds Week in Exploring Nature With Children
Here are some links to help with your nature study:
Exploring Nature With Children is an open and go curriculum. To make it even easier, I have created a free calendar for you to download. There’s a direct link in my profile.
Happy exploring!
Today’s Reading
Matthew 1:18-21 ESV
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Today’s Activity
This week Exploring Nature With Children is all about Christmas plants, so take some time today for a woodland walk. Look around for traditional Christmas plants to bring into your home to decorate for advent, such as pine and holly branches, lovely long strands of ivy, pinecones, and so forth. Dress up in weather appropriate clothing and take a pair of secateurs or robust scissors. Be sure to take small amounts from each individual plant, never over prune. We will be using your treasures over the next few days to decorate your home.
Once you return home, listen to some Christmas carols whilst enjoying well-deserved mugs of hot-chocolate, and enjoy your treasures.
See you tomorrow for more advent fun.
Today’s Reading
Luke 1: 36-38 ESV
The angel continued “And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Today’s Reading
Micah 5:2 ESV
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
Today’s Activity
Light some candles, gather up the eiderdowns, make hot chocolate, and crack open the Christmas sweets whilst you cuddle up together with your child this afternoon, and enjoy a Christmas movie together.
Some of our favourites:
See you tomorrow for more advent fun.
Today’s Reading
Luke 1:32-35 ESV
The angel continued “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.
Today’s Activity
Let’s make play dough 🙂
Play dough is great for your child to play with whilst you read aloud, allowing them to create the characters you read about, or just to enjoy its lovely texture. It may also help to keep them busy while you get on with Christmas preparations for a little while (not guaranteed!)
Method:
For fun you can add different ingredients;
See you tomorrow for more advent fun.
Today’s Reading
Luke 1:29-31 ESV
But Mary was greatly troubled at the Angel’s saying and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
Today’s Activity
Go for an ‘I Spy’ nature walk with your child. Enjoy this peaceful time in nature as the world around you is getting busier as Christmas approaches.
This is also a great nature game to play from a window at home if the weather is very bad.
See you tomorrow for more advent fun.
Today’s Reading
Luke 1:26-28 ESV
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favoured one, the Lord is with you!”
Today’s Activity
Today, grab lots of pillows and blankets, light some candles, and enjoy an afternoon of drinking hot chocolate and reading Christmas books.
Some of our favourite nature-themed Christmas stories:
See you tomorrow for more advent fun.
Today’s Reading
Isaiah 7:14 ESV
Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Today’s Activity
Make time today to sketch the sunset. Observe the glowing colours in the western sky; sunsets tend to be slightly warmer and more intense than sunrises, which, generally speaking are softer, paler, and less intense. So, crack out your paints, crayons, or coloured pencils in warm, bold oranges, pinks, yellows, and purples, and paint what you see, being sure to sketch along with your child!
See you tomorrow for more advent fun.
I am so pleased to have reached 45,000 followers on Instagram!
🐞🌿
To celebrate, Raising Little Shoots is having a flash sale.
Use code: FLASH20 for 20% discount on any of the products in the shop. Valid until the 4th of December
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Happy exploring!
I hope that this Nature Note finds you well!
Many of you are new to Exploring Nature with Children, and are joining us for the first time this month. Please jump right in, it’s a lovely time to get started with the habit of nature study and journaling.
If you began back in September, my hope is that you and your child are enjoying your studies, and learning about the natural world around you.
“Never be within doors when you can rightly be without.”
Miss Charlotte Mason
It can be a challenge to get out of doors in the colder months, so take every small moment as a victory; those moments certainly add up over the years! Look at this quote as an encouragement, rather than as words to beat yourself up with.
For those of you who are using Exploring Nature With Children, the weeks fall as follows:
2nd ~ 8th Week 1: Christmas Plants Week
9th ~ 15th Week 2: Bird Study Week
16th ~ 22nd Week 3 Winter Solstice Week (The Solstice falls on the 22nd)
23rd ~ 29th Week 4: The Twelve Days of Christmas
The following week will be a break week.
There’s a free 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!
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 to enable you to connect with other families working through ENWC this year
Seasonal notes:
Are you following the annual Raising Little Shoots nature themed Advent Calendar this year? Beginning on December 1st, through to December 24th, I will be sharing daily Advent posts: an unfolding of the Christmas Story in scripture, and an activity for the day. The activities will be mostly nature-based, with a few special, festive activities here and there, to add a little Christmas magic.
We also have the Winter Solstice to look forward to this month. The arc of the Sun is at the minimum point for the northern hemisphere at this time of year, the Sun being at its lowest in the sky. After the ‘shortest day’ of the Winter Solstice, the days will begin to grow longer again, and we are on our way back to summer time!
And then we are upon Christmastide! A lovely Christmas carol that you may wish to share with your family is The Friendly Beasts, in which the story of the nativity is told to us by the animals who were present. I believe it it is of French origin (please do let me know if you know different!)
Here’s to a happy December. Happy exploring!
Next week in Exploring Nature With Children is ‘Christmas Plants Week’.
Here are some helpful links to get you going:
Exploring Nature With Children is an open and go curriculum. To make it even easier, I have created a free calendar for you to download. There’s a direct link in my profile.
Happy exploring!
