Start Your Nature Journaling Journey with a Simple Walk
Disclosure: Writing Mindset only endorses things that I’ve personally used, something similar, or come highly recommended by trusted peers. If you grab anything I mention using a referral link, I may get a small commission. However, there’s no extra cost to you. If you would like to learn more, please visit the privacy policy and disclosure page.
If you’re feeling the tug to slow down, step outside, and reconnect with the world around you, nature journaling might be exactly what you need. But where do you begin? The easiest entry point is one that feels more like play than practice: go on a nature scavenger hunt or take a simple walk outdoors. Whether you're on your own or with kids, this gentle activity opens the door to curiosity, observation, and connection—the very heart of nature journaling. And when I say "nature walk," I simply mean stepping outside. Whether you're facing desert heat or a winter blast, you can observe the world around you and begin with any notebook or journal.
This post provides a starting point with some prompts, and it gives some resources and materials for stepping into the outdoors.
The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling
Designed to the last detail by the "modern Audubon" John (Jack) Muir Laws, The Laws Sketchbook for Nature Journaling is the perfect starting point for anyone interested in the practice and joy of getting out, observing, and recording nature. Sturdy covers and a lay-flat sewn binding make field sketching easy, and artists of all levels will appreciate the eighty blank pages of high quality paper suitable for pen, pencil, and light washes. In addition, this journal includes tips, techniques, and advice from master nature journalist and teacher Jack Laws. Reference illustrations to solve common nature-drawing problems, tools for measuring and quantifying observations, and a grommet-secured elastic band that holds everything tight at the end of the day make this sketchbook an essential tool when out in the field.
Why Start with a Nature Walk?
Nature journaling isn’t about being an artist or a scientist. It’s about paying attention. John Muir Laws, one of the leading voices in the nature journaling movement, shares a simple but powerful framework:
“I notice… I wonder… It reminds me of…”
This three-part thinking routine helps journalers of all ages slow down and truly engage with what they see. When you’re walking outdoors—whether it’s in your backyard, a city park, or a nearby trail—there are endless opportunities to pause and observe. It’s the perfect time to practice these prompts and begin building a relationship with the natural world. The heart of this work is really in the ability to pay attention. In Maggie Smith’s book Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life, she opens with a word that really is at the heart of all journaling: Attention.
She writes, “Attention is a form of love.”
And if you’ve ever felt drawn to nature journaling—or even just the idea of slowing down and stepping outside—this is where it all begins. Nature journaling isn’t just about recording what you see. It’s about giving the world your full presence.
Smith reminds us: “This essential part of creativity requires no pen, no paper, no paints, no canvas, no nothing—only your awareness. Your hands can be empty, but your mind should be open.”
So before you open a notebook, before you reach for a pencil, your first invitation is simply to pay attention.
Dear Writer: Pep Talks & Practical Advice for the Creative Life
New York Times bestselling author and poet Maggie Smith distills creativity and the craft of writing with a practical guide perfect for fans of Elizabeth Gilbert’sBig Magicand Anne Lamott’sBird by Bird.
Drawing from her twenty years of teaching experience and her bestselling Substack newsletter, For Dear Life, Maggie Smith breaks down creativity into ten essential elements: attention, wonder, vision, play, surprise, vulnerability, restlessness, tenacity, connection, and hope. Each element is explored through short, inspiring, and craft-focused essays, followed by generative writing prompts. Dear Writer provides tools that artists of all experience levels can apply to their own creative practices and carry with them into all genres and all areas of life.
Step 1: Take a Nature Scavenger Hunt
Turn your walk into a scavenger hunt to add a sense of adventure, especially if you’re bringing kids along. Here’s a sample list to get you started:
Something soft
Something that makes noise
Something red
A leaf with holes
A bug (or signs of a bug)
A pattern in bark
Something that smells earthy
A cloud that looks like an animal
You can adjust the list depending on your environment or the season. For example, in winter, try “an animal track in the snow” or “a stick shaped like the letter Y.” In spring, search for “a flower bud” or “a bee in action.”
Let kids take pictures or collect small, safe items like leaves or pebbles. You can even bring a small notebook or index cards and pause to sketch, write, or wonder aloud. If you're working with a classroom, print out a scavenger list with checkboxes and let students find and record their discoveries.
Step 2: Practice “I Notice, I Wonder, It Reminds Me Of…”
Once you find something interesting, stop and engage with it using John Muir Laws' reflective method:
I notice the way this mushroom has tiny ridges underneath.
I wonder if it's been nibbled on by animals.
It reminds me of an umbrella or a tiny fairy house.
These prompts are powerful because they help shift your mindset from “getting through” the walk to being present in the moment. Try them with something unexpected: the shape of a cloud, the glint of light on a puddle, or the way a bird moves across the sky.
Encourage kids (and yourself) to respond freely—there are no wrong answers. These prompts train your mind to observe with care and curiosity, which is exactly what nature journaling is all about.
Step 3: Bring It Back to the Journal
After your walk, sit down with your journal. Use words, sketches, colors, or even tape in found objects to remember what you saw. You don’t need to be an artist or a poet—just someone who noticed.
If you’re new to journaling, don’t worry about format or perfection. Here are a few simple entry ideas:
A heading like “Nature Walk – April 30th”
A list of “I noticed…” entries
A small drawing with words around it
A short poem or a few lines of reflection
A color swatch to match the leaf or flower you saw
A taped-in leaf rubbing or bark texture print
Over time, these small moments add up. Flip back through your notebook weeks or months later, and you’ll have a living memory of seasons shifting and your own growing attention to the world around you.
Download the PDF Scavenger Hunt Now
Grab the scavenger hunt to head outside! If you don’t have any cacti around, feel free to replace with another item like an airplane, helicopter, plant, or bug!
Example: Nature Journaling with Toddlers
I used the above scavenger hunt with a group of 2–4-year-olds at a local park (Our daughter and her 3 friends). We didn't bring formal journals—just one clipboard, markers, and their curiosity. I let each child have their own marker, and I was in charge of the clipboard. We noticed ants, lots of sticks, some birds, and after a long hunt around the park, we finally found a nest!
You can adapt this activity to older kids by focusing on scientific observation or tying it into curriculum topics like habitats, life cycles, or ecosystems. For example, students can document plant growth stages, compare different types of leaf structures, or track the behavior of birds over time. You can even incorporate data collection—like temperature, cloud cover, or soil conditions—and connect it to lessons in weather, climate, or environmental science. Journaling prompts might shift to include questions like “What role does this organism play in its ecosystem?” or “How might this area look different in another season?”
What If You Can’t Go Outside?
Sometimes the weather doesn't cooperate, or you're stuck indoors for other reasons. But this doesn’t mean the nature journaling has to stop. You can still practice your observation and curiosity skills by bringing nature in through books, videos, or even window watching.
One great way to keep the spirit of the nature scavenger hunt alive is through picture books and nonfiction texts that celebrate the natural world. A wonderful example is Bird Watch by Christie Matheson. This interactive book invites readers to find and count birds hidden in beautifully illustrated pages, mimicking the observational skills needed for a real outdoor scavenger hunt. As you read, pause to ask:
What do you notice in the illustrations?
What kind of environment do these birds live in?
What details repeat from page to page?
Pair the book with a simple journaling prompt like:
“Which bird did you like best and why?” or
“Draw a scene from the book and write what you think the birds are doing.”
Other engaging books to consider include Outside In by Deborah Underwood, Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner, or The Big Book of Birds by Yuval Zommer. You can even create an indoor scavenger hunt based on things seen in the books—like feathers, flowers, patterns, or colors—to encourage close reading and visual analysis.
Reading about nature still supports the same skills: attention, observation, wonder, and connection. When the outdoors isn't accessible, books become a beautiful bridge between imagination and the natural world.
Bird Watch
Search for hidden birds and count them, too, in this seek-and-find picture book with a satisfying surprise. Delicate artwork, a focus on counting, and an engaging treasure hunt will entice fans of Janell Cannon's Stellaluna and Steve Light’s Have You Seen My Dragon?
There are treasures hiding in the trees! Can you find them? From the author of the acclaimed and bestselling Tap the Magic Tree, this stunning picture book merges basic math concepts with elements of a treasure hunt.
With different species of birds and other forest animals hiding in the trees and bushes, there is something new to discover on every page. Patience is rewarded as readers learn to count backward from ten, meet new birds, and learn about the diverse ecosystem of the forest. Beautiful watercolor-and-collage art, a playful counting text, and a search-and-find theme will inspire children and parents to return to Bird Watch again and again.
And for curious young birders, a page of information about bird-watching and the different birds that appear in the book is included.
Nature Journaling Together Builds Memories
More than a learning tool, nature journaling is a memory-making practice. When you go outside with your kids, observe with intention, and return to the page together, you’re creating shared experiences rooted in wonder. These moments matter.
So next time you're tempted to scroll or stay indoors, grab a notebook and step out the door. Let curiosity lead the way. Nature is always ready to greet you—with something to notice, something to wonder, and something to remind you of your place in the world.
And remember: you don’t need to travel far. Your front porch, balcony, or neighborhood sidewalk can be the start of your next journal entry. All it takes is attention—and maybe a good pencil.
