Free Science Project: Kids Make a Homemade Nature Journal

Exploring the outdoors and finding natural objects and plants and saving them in a nature journal is one free science project idea for kids.

This kids craft meets free science project can be done by students for school science project or a science assignment. This kids craft is also ideal for kids during any school vacation, snow day. It can also be used for home schoolers.

What Goes in the Nature Journal?

The nature journal will be a combination of found natural objects with accompanying descriptions of the natural object by the child.

The nature journal can also include lists of plants growing the yard, or at favorite playground or nature center.
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The beauty of this kids craft meets free science project is that it can take on many different forms. It also encourages outdoor activity and exploration, and discovery.

Materials to Buy

The most basic material needed for the nature journal will come from nature. We'll get to that in a minute.

The child will need a place to store the material in one neat place. An inexpensive photo album with removable pages is the ideal office supply to use for this kids craft meets free science project idea.

The size could be a small photo album, or a big one. Pick a size that is suited to the age of the child.

Any inexpensive three-ring binder will also work for this free science project.

The student or child will also need some card stock or construction paper in earth tones. Find black, brown, tan, yellow, green, beige and other colors.

Kids will also need some wax paper to dry and flatten the natural objects.

Natural Materials

Before starting to collect natural materials for the science project, familiarize yourself and the kids with the plants not to pick, including poison ivy and similar plants.

Next, pick up fallen leaves and flowers to press between wax paper. Place the items flatten and dry in between the pages of a big book.

While the nature trek is still fresh in kids mind, go to the library or go online to try to identify the natural objects.

Include the name of the plant, and where it was found on one page of the journal.

Once the plant is flat and dry (which could take three days or more), remove the wax paper and place the item carefully between the sticky pages in the photo album turned nature journal.

Keeping and maintaining the nature journal can be an ongoing science project.