Things to Do With Bored Kids in April: My Year Nature Journal
To celebrate the release of my third picture book, A Year With Mama Earth, I’m creating a nature journal inspired by Rebecca Green’s illustrations and the book’s lyrical text. Be sure to follow my Nature Education Pinterest board for even more resources!
April Nature Journal
April showers bring May flowers, although April often begins with a blizzard where I live. This April, however, is unique—many, many children are off school and public buildings and events are closed. How better to enjoy the first days of spring than by venturing outdoors? I designed April’s pages to be used close to home—your backyard will do. And since April is national poetry month, we’ll have a focus on poetry.
If you haven’t yet started My Year Nature Journal, I strongly recommend card stock for the cover and something heavier than standard copy paper for the internal pages (28lb minimum). Either three-hole-punch and place in a binder or hole punch and hold together with rings. You’ll be adding more pages each month, so be sure your binder has plenty of room! 2” should suffice.
A Walk Through April’s Lessons:
Be sure to add your Month Sticker! Download the printable file at the end of this post. I’ve included a place on every month’s first page for students to draw a seasonal self-portrait.
This month we look more closely at weather, so expand your self portrait to include the day’s weather. And check out this cute weather song.
An Earth Day Poem by Jane Yolen
The classic poem, Blow Wind Blow
All About Weather:
Along with your Nature Journal pages, you might enjoy these activities and printables.
Find out how to make a cute, simple, and practically free DIY kite here.
Older students might enjoy an experiment to make indoor rain.
And here is a very cute fingerprint rain art project.
Plus, learn more about weather below.
How do we predict the weather?
A weather song
Buds & Spring:
Mimicry and camouflage have the same goal—protect a creature from predators. Explore the differences below.
What are the early signs of spring? Find out here, if you can withstand the pop-ups and ads.
A tutorial explaining the bud activity in this month’s nature journal.
Leaf or fruit buds?
Spring time song!
Spring has Sprung
How do trees know it’s spring? How do they survive winter?
Enjoy exploring with the recommendations below (affiliate links).
A journal all about ME!
Weather study kit.
A weather calendar.
Writer’s Corner:
We’re all about poetry this month! Learn about Haiku and Acrostics! The first haiku video goes into much depth. Here is a simpler video on haiku for younger audiences.
So that’s it. Sit back, download, print. Then *get outside* to enjoy the month while you can. On those yucky days, check out the videos above. And be sure to subscribe so you’ll be first to know when next month’s pages are available.
Subscribe below for a sample of my Nature Journal printables!
To preview any of these items, visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store. You’ll be able to see several pages of each download.
My Year Nature Journal gives you 12 full months of nature journal activity and free-creation pages to support your nature/outdoor education. The journal is perfect for fans of Charlotte Mason, Montessori, kinesthetic and hands-on learning, or to simply enhance your enjoyment of the outdoors.