introduce kids to nature journaling (+supply links!)

Erin and Out
Jun 16, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Oct 23, 2025

Whether it’s someone studying birds, examining plants, or tracking the stars, every good scientist relies on the same thing; a nature journal! Nature journaling is a useful pastime to record the natural world and practice the art of curiosity.

The best part? People of any age can benefit from keeping a nature journal! Nature journaling enables you to flex your creative muscles while engaging in guided exploration outdoors. With just a pencil and a dash of curiosity, you can make the most of a few blank pages.

Journal recommendations

My first nature journal comprised some sheets of printer paper hastily stapled together. Eventually, those sheets evolved to living in a binder that I could grab whenever I went outside. When that binder got full, I purchased a notebook to write my thoughts. When I got bored of writing, I returned to the store and got an art journal designed for watercolor painting. My point is that there are a million journals and many forms a nature journal can take. However you or your little one likes to create, I can guarantee there is a perfect journal.

My students tend to be content with the OG nature journal: stapled-together printer paper. However, for older explorers, I'd recommend thicker paper. I've been enjoying this large Sketchbook Journal from Moleskine. It can support heavy mediums with minimal bleed and the large pages give me plenty of canvas to work with: win-win!

Looking for something smaller but still hardy? Try one of these other options:

Nature Journal Suggestions:

Moleskine Art Collection Journal (For All Around)
Jeannie Fulbright Press Nature Journal (For Painting)
Rite in the Rain Notebook (For Durability)

Art Supply recommendations

Once a journal has been chosen, it’s time to gather your art supplies! Nature journaling tends to be an on-the-go affair so a soft-shell pencil case is a great vehicle for toting materials around. Additionally, because nature journaling tends to be, well, in nature, you won't want to carry a gazillion coloring supplies. Instead, choose a quality brand that offers blendable products. This way, the only passengers are the primary colors.

Below are a few of the art supplies I like to use for nature journaling. While they admittedly are a bit on the pricey side, the quality of these products can't be outdone. That being said, people can still make magic with a pencil and a box of crayons!

Art Supplies Recommendations:

Prismacolor Colored Pencils
Tombow Watercolor Markers (these are literally life-changing)
Sakura Pigma Miconpens

Go outside. What do you see?

Grab your hat. It is time to go outside! I try to find a quiet space in the shade where I can can sit and focus on my thoughts. If I'm leading a class, I have them do a senses exercise where they tune into their surroundings for 30 seconds: how many sounds can they hear? How many colors do they see? What animals are nearby? This can facilitate the mood for nature journaling and entice their curiosity.

Pick a Prompt

I find the hardest part about nature journaling is honing in on what you want to journal about. I created +20 journal prompts for kids to get started with here. Alternatively, you can pick from one of the topics below. When in doubt, ask: What do you notice? What do you wonder? What would you like to know more about?