Nourished by Nature: The Beauty of Nature Study in a Charlotte Mason Homeschool

When I first started homeschooling, I knew I wanted my child to grow up with a love for learning. I wanted books to shape her, experiences to fill her days, and wonder to guide her. But I wasn’t expecting nature to play such a big role in our homeschool. I had read about nature study in Charlotte Mason’s writings and heard experienced homeschoolers talk about it, but I wasn’t sure how to do it myself. It sounded nice, but was it really that important?

It didn’t take long for me to realize that time outside was more than just a break from schoolwork. It was schoolwork. It was a feast of learning all on its own. The more we stepped outside, the more we noticed. The more we noticed, the more questions we had. Before I knew it, nature study had become one of the richest parts of our homeschool.

What is Nature Study?

Nature study is simple. It is the practice of observing the natural world with curiosity and attention. It is watching a bee land on a flower and noticing how it moves. It is picking up a rock and wondering how it got its shape. It is looking up at the sky and trying to name the clouds.

Charlotte Mason encouraged children to spend hours outdoors every day, exploring freely and learning from direct experience. She believed that before children could understand science in books, they needed to see it with their own eyes. A child who has spent years observing birds in the backyard will have a much deeper connection to a biology lesson on birds later on.

Nature study doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn’t require a specific curriculum. It doesn’t need a checklist. It just needs a willingness to go outside and pay attention.

How to Do Nature Study in a Structured Way

If you are someone who likes to have a little bit of structure in your homeschool, there are many ways to bring nature study into your lessons.

• Keep a nature journal
  Give your child a blank notebook to draw and write about what they see outside. It doesn’t have to be perfect. A messy sketch of a butterfly and a few notes about its colors is enough.

• Choose a focus
  Spend a few weeks learning about one part of nature. You could study trees in the fall, birds in the winter, wildflowers in the spring, or insects in the summer. Read books about your chosen topic and then go outside to observe it in real life.

• Do simple experiments
  If your child is curious about something, follow that curiosity. What happens if you plant a bean seed in different kinds of soil? How do leaves change color in autumn? Let them explore these questions with hands-on learning.

• Use field guides
  A small book with pictures of local birds, flowers, or insects can turn a simple walk into a treasure hunt. Children love identifying what they see and learning the names of things.

How to Do Nature Study Organically

Not every family enjoys structured lessons, and that is okay. Nature study happens naturally when children have time outside.

• Go on regular walks
  You don’t have to go to a special park or nature reserve. A walk around your neighborhood can be just as valuable. Children will notice birds, trees, rocks, and insects no matter where they are.

• Follow their lead
  If your child stops to watch an ant carrying a crumb, let them. If they want to build a fort with sticks, let them. If they ask why the moon looks different tonight, talk about it.

• Let them get dirty
  Nature is meant to be touched and explored. Let them dig in the dirt, climb trees, wade in streams, and collect treasures. These hands-on experiences build a deep connection to the natural world.

• Read living books about nature
  On rainy days or when you can’t go outside, reading books by authors who love nature can inspire your child to pay attention the next time they are outdoors. Books by authors like Thornton Burgess, Jean Craighead George, and Holling C Holling bring nature to life.

Why It Matters

Nature study isn’t just about science. It is about forming relationships. When a child spends time outside, they build a relationship with the world around them. They learn to see details, to wonder, to ask questions. They develop habits of attention and patience. They begin to feel at home in nature.

And something beautiful happens when we slow down and step outside with our children. We begin to notice too. We remember what it feels like to watch a butterfly land on a flower. We take a deep breath and feel the warmth of the sun. We become students alongside our children, nourished by the same world that is nourishing them.

So if you are just beginning your homeschool journey and wondering if nature study is worth the time, the answer is yes. Open the door, step outside, and see what you find. You just might discover that nature study isn’t just for your children. It is for you too.