Phenology wheels

Phenology wheels: A great Nature journaling prompt for kids!

Nature journaling is a simple and creative way for kids to learn about nature and themselves. And they can do it just about anywhere,you don’t need a huge garden,just use your walks to observe the nature around if you don’t have a backyard! It’s a great way to keep the focus small and notice details around ourselves.

Nature journals reinforce scientific language, descriptive language, and general vocabulary and spelling. Nature journal pages don’t always have to have writing on them, but it’s easy to naturally expect children to label sketches and/or write descriptions.

This coloring fun nature exploration activity creates a simple foundation for year-long nature study with just one activity. It will take just a few minutes each day,or you can do it a weekly activity.

You can start it at any time of the year but for me January is the best month to create a new one?.

Learn more about phenology wheels:

What is a phenology wheel? A Phenology Wheel is a circular journal or calendar that encourages a routine of Earth observation where you live. Single observations of what is happening in the lives of plants and animals made over time begin to tell a compelling story about your surroundings

How to make a phenology wheel? First draw a large circle. Next now draw a smaller circle inside your first circle close to the outer edge. Divide the circle into 12 parts (each month) You can find a pattern that I made to make it easier (scroll down) and we recycle cardboards to create ours. You can make a title with the four seasons regrouping their months.

How do you use phenology wheels? Spending some time each month drawing or painting your observations from that month. You may focus on flowers, weather or animals. Alternatively, we also focus on one main holiday of each month that we draw in the smaller circle. This way we help our kids to have a better notion of time and seasons.

We usually also note family member’s birthdays on the back! I made one with watercolors and another one that my 5yo can draw by herself now,but she started to participate with it already last year,you can easily adjust it to the age of your kid (that’s what I am going to try this year with our 2yo)