Changing Seasons Are A Great Time For A Nature Journal

Journals can be a great learning experience all year long

For links to these projects go to Planetpals Pinterest Nature Journal Board

What better learning experience is there than to document nature's splendor, with a nature diary! It's a great project for any age including kids!  Anyone can draw, write, record and photograph what they see.

Any season is a season for Journaling; 

Spring means outdoors for many who have cooped up all winter, like birds and bugs, trees and plants.   Summer is a time for thriving for many plants and animals, caring for their young, plants blooming and harvesting.  As well, Autumn harvests and the storing and shedding of animals and plants.  Winter is time for hibernation and wild weather patterns. Let's face it, all year long nature evolves, the skies not only change through the seasons, but change day and night, as do the tides. 

The changing seasons are a perfect time to think of Journaling.  

Journaling is a wonderful pastime and an educational hobby. With the changing season comes changes in nature. You can track the seasons of trees and flowers.  You can track nature's life cycles like that of a butterfly from and egg to a caterpillar to a full grown butterfly. You can watch animals come out of, or prepare and go into, hibernation.

Things you can record in a Journal:

Learn to look for patterns in nature such as heart shaped leaves, camouflage or repetitive patterns. Find nests and cocoons, take photos of changing leaves, sprouting flowers and new blossoming plants. Watch gardens grow and the changing seaside.  Learn what different species eat, which ones are endangered,  and learn about the food chain. Collect different kinds of natural species or their parts such as shells or barks from trees. Or simply find the beauty in any natural thing!

Here is a list of additional ideas for a Seasonal Journal:

• Color in Nature
• Art in Nature
• Anatomy and Architecture
• Planted Seedlings
• Budding and Blooming Flowers
• Budding and Blooming Trees
• Birds and Nests
• Bugs and Insects
• Cacoons and Bee Hives
• Hybernation and Habitats
• Otters and Damns
• Breeding and Birth
• Sky and Clouds
• Changing Leaves
• Collecting bark, leaves, insects or shells
• More 

© Judith Gorgone Designs www.gorgone.com

How to document in your Journal:

• Draw
• Paint
• Photograph
• Write Stories
• Write Poems
• Write Haiku
• Describe Objects
• Color Match
• Collect specimens
• Save seeds
• Collect images from magazines
• Decorate

How to make a Scrapbook:

• Buy a notebook or scrapbook
• Use any kind of paper
• Use paper 
• Use cloth
• Recycle papers, scraps and bags
• Recycle cardboard

See many more ideas and download helpers here:

• A Printable Nature Journal for you to download for free.
• Free Nature Discovery Kit to Download
• Our Nature Magazine of additional articles and ideas for you to explore.
• DIY Nature Journal Ideas Pinterest Board
• Our Creative Art Journal Ideas Pinterest Board

Be a Planetpal!  Come up with some natural ideas and recycle ideas you can use in your journal and share it with us!

DIY Beach Sandcastle Kit Even You Can Make

Make your own Sand Castle Kit with Recycle and Household Items! Simple as a Grain of Sand.

Playing in the sand is lots of fun for any age.  So get prepared for that day at the beach.  Make a recycle sandcastle kit!  Pack it up in a plastic bucket or your favorite beach pail.

I came across this infographic from Sandstackers on how to make your own sandcastle. There sure are some good suggestions here:

click to enlarge.

Let's take it a step further! 

You can use many household items for your sandcastle and why not recycle.  You can find items around your kitchen and your garage, too.

Here are some suggestions:

Garage:

• Window Scraper
• Spray Bottles
• Paint Brushes

Kitchen Tools:

• Measuring Cups
• Funnels
• Measuring Spoons
• Food Containers (Square and round)
• Lemon Ballers
• Spatulas and other Cooking Utensils
• Kitchen Scraper

Tips on how to make a lasting sandcastle:

There are plenty of tips out there to make professional grade sandcastles such as this from RedBook Magazine which suggests that you:

"Start with a densely packed mound of sand. To get the best density, build up the mound gradually: Add 6 inches of sand, pack down firmly with your fists, then pour half a bucket of water on top. (You can never add too much water; any excess will just drain out.) Repeat until you've reached your desired height."
Just use your imagination!

Can't wait to see what you create this summer.

Dig It This Summer

A DIY Archeological Dig Can Be Great Fun And A Natural Learning Experience For Any Age.

Great Summer Activity for Kids!

Archeology is a great way to learn about nature and science.  So, why not try an archeological dig this summer at the ocean, park, or in the woods.  It's a perfect beach or camping activity.  It's a natural!

You can put together a simple DIG kit in minutes and organize the dig for one child or a group of children.

For beach finds kids can look for worn beach glass, shells, sand dollars, fish bones, crab shells, seaweed, rocks, driftwood.

For forest or park digs kids can look for bones, rocks, arrowheads, nuts, snail shells, flora and fauna.

A dig can be a fun in the sun natural learning experience for any age

 Learn more 

     Learn how to have an archeology DIG

     Make a DIG kit 

     Make a craft Jar for your finds

     Free Planetpals DIG Download!

Planetpals Beach Puzzle!

© jag planetpals.com all rights reserved 

Creative Idea For Summer For Kids

Everyone loves kids and a lemonade stand.  But, what else can you do to encourage kids to be crafty and creative?  Try an art stand!

Crafts and creativity that can be shared, whether they be recycle crafts or any other crafts and who doesn't love kids art? Kids can do drawings of the beach, their pets, each other or just any other topic. Why not encourage them to add a poem! We all love expressing ourselves.

Want a recycle stand idea?  Have a swap stand where your children sell small recycle items and outgrown toys. They will learn to be Planetpals, have fun and make a few cents.  

Want a nature stand idea?  Have them grow plants, vegetables or fruit and have a garden stand! They will learn how to grow from seeds and plantings.

It all makes sense!

Here are a bunch of recycle crafts for kids you can try as well.

Happy creativity!

Happy April Full Moon Pals!

The moon becomes officially full on Monday at 11:32 p.m. EDT (0332 GMT on Tuesday, April 27), according to NASA. In New York City moonrise is at 7:24 p.m. local time on Monday, and moonset is Tuesday morning at 6:26 a.m.; the sun sets Tuesday at 7:49 p.m.

April Ancient Full Moon Names : Planter's Moon-Peony Moon-Flower Moon-Wildcat Moon-Growing Moon-Seed Moon -Awakening Moon & Moon When Geese Return in Scattered Formation. Happy full moon PALS!  Go here for a complete list of Moon Names and Moon facts.