I hope that this April Nature Note finds you well during these challenging times.
If you are new to Exploring Nature with Children, and are joining us for the first time this month, please jump right in. You can begin ENWC at any point in the year, and there’s no better time to get started than the present!
If you began back in 2019, my hope is that you and your child are enjoying your studies, and learning about the natural world around you.
A quote to carry with you this April:
Modern life is busy. Following on from last month’s theme: ‘Adopt the pace of nature’, we can reserve time to slow down, and observe. The world around us has so much for us to learn, if we can but spend a few moments regularly observing.
As always, the weekly themes within Exploring Nature With Children give plenty of prompts for you to follow with your child, but take those themes into your everyday life, don’t just save them up for ‘nature study.’
Observe the patterns of the buds and leaves, and how they change, in a tree outside your window, or one that you pass on your short, daily walk.
Lookout for wildflowers starting to bloom, and draw the flowering sequence in your journal.
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!
Please keep in mind social distancing, and your own government’s guidelines during these difficult times.
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:
April heralds the beginning of the spring months. Special days this April:
Next week is a break week in Exploring Nature With Children.
To keep up your nature study momentum, spend a little time discussing the changes that have been happening in your own special nature spot. Talk about the topics that they’ve recently been learning about: • What do they remember about how & where birds build their nests? • How do we tell apart frogs and toads? • Tell what they know about the Vernal Equinox.
Do keep in mind these wise words from Miss Mason’s book: School Education: We have all been in the case of the little girl who said, “Mother, I think I could understand if you did not explain quite so much.”
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.
The natural world is waking after its long winter sleep and you will begin to see much activity at your local pond. Here are some links to inspire you this week:
Book : : The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
I hope that this March Nature Note finds you well!
If you are new to Exploring Nature with Children, and are joining us for the first time this month, please jump right in. You can begin ENWC at any point in the year, and there’s no better time to get started than the present!
If you began back in 2019, my hope is that you and your child are enjoying your studies, and learning about the natural world around you.
A quote to carry with you this February:
Modern life is busy. There are so many people and things demanding our time, we have places to be, and never-ending to-do lists.
If we can slow dow a little; ‘Adopt the pace of nature’ on a regular basis, our whole family will benefit. We can make small changes that give big rewards for our physical, spiritual, and mental wellbeing.
Some suggestions:
Take a weekly nature walk with no time constraints.
Have a weekly rhythm. Each day of the week has its own ‘theme’, which helps to make it easier to keep on top of household chores, grocery shopping, family outings, and so forth.
Add seasonal herbs and flowers to your bath tub. Chamomile flowers and thyme leaves would make a soothing, and relaxing bath, for example.
Put up a bird feeder near to a kitchen window, and watch the birds come and go as you wash the dishes.
Use only candlelight in your home after dark. (Of course, taking suitable safety precautions.)
What one thing can you do this month to ‘Adopt the pace of nature’ in your own home?
16th ~ 22nd Week 3 Vernal Equinox Week { the equinox falls on the 20th }
23rd ~ 29th Week 4: Garden Snails 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:
March is finally here, with spring on the horizon.
We have some special days to enjoy this March to get us through the month with joy:
1st St. David’s Day & First Sunday of Lent
17th St. Patrick’s Day
20th Vernal Equinox
22nd Mothering Sunday
29th British Summertime Begins
This would be a good month to put up a nesting box for local birds. The RSPB have some good instructions if you would like to build your own.
I have heard from so many of you who are keen to get cracking with planning lessons for the next academic year and have been asking for the Planner to be released.
Here it is! The 2020 ~ 2021 planner. It runs from August 2020 ~ August 2021
It is currently on sale at the introductory price of $8
You can find out more, and download the sample here.
