Preschool Nature Study

ByCerys
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Nature study sounds lovely in theory, until you’re actually out there with a preschooler who wants to collect every stick, splash in every puddle, and abandon the nature journal in favour of chasing ants. Sound familiar?

But here’s the thing: that is nature study.

A young child holding a feather in their hand. Text below reads Nature Study with Your Preschooler, what it is really like and why it works.

For little kids, nature study isn’t about identification guides or tidy sketches (although those can come later). It’s about slowing down, noticing, and wondering out loud together.

What Preschool Nature Study Really Looks Like

Yes, I’ve been there and here’s what I discovered as a mum of 2. With just 18 months between them I was in the midst and learning as I went along. But here’s what I have learnt.

  • Finding a feather and asking, “What bird do you think it came from?”
  • Watching a worm wriggle back into the soil
  • Lying on the grass and drawing the clouds
  • Sitting under a tree and listening to the wind
  • Blowing dandelion heads while talking about seeds

It doesn’t have to look like a Pinterest-perfect field notebook. It can be muddy knees, wild questions, and tiny treasures brought home in pockets to go onto our nature table.

Tips for Making Nature Study Work with Littles

  • Keep it short and sweet: 15 minutes in the garden can be enough.
  • Follow their lead: If they’re fascinated by ants, start there.
  • Bring paper, not pressure: Offer a journal page or sketch pad, but let them use it how they want (or not at all).
  • Use your words: Narrate your own observations to model curiosity: “I wonder where this pinecone came from…”

Free Printable to Take Outside

Want a little something to support your next nature walk?

I’ve created a free printable scavenger hunt just for little learners – perfect for ages 3 to 6. You can grab it instantly when you join the waitlist for the Rainy Day Science Book Club.

Click here to join the waitlist and get your bonus pack

Each month is jam-packed full of simple, hands-on ways to explore nature through story, play, and printable fun.

Nature study doesn’t need structure or special supplies. It needs time, togetherness, and a willingness to look closely.

So take the walk. Ask the questions. Collect the sticks. Chase the ants.

Pinterest image for What Preschool Nature Study is Really Like.

Cerys Parker holds an MSc in Wildlife Management: Conservation and Control and worked as a marine biologist, leading a community conservation project on Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast with Leatherback sea turtles. Now a qualified science teacher and homeschool parent, she creates rigorous, hands-on science resources for teen home learners at Rainy Day Homeschooling.