Geothermal Construction

A kid's nature journal is a fun and educational way to spend some of that extra time in the summer. A journal is easy to do, and can be as simple as an inexpensive notebook or as complex as a handmade, DIY book-literally anything that a child can write in and illustrate will work just fine.
A nature journal is basically just an informal way of recording the natural world, and it is accomplished by using the senses. Nature journals have been used for hundreds of years, and many have ben the basis for new discoveries-even to this day.
A nice prologue to this activity is to utilize resources such as the library and/or the internet to show the child examples of nature journals. A little preliminary time on the subject will lay the groundwork for a journal and hopefully help the child to branch off in their own direction to make the journal more personalized.
The core idea behind a nature journal is getting children outside, and allowing them to use their senses to experience and interpret what is in the world around them. By watching, listening, smelling, and feeling-kids can gain new perspectives regarding the natural world. There is no right or wrong-it is strictly their personal perception of what it is they are enjoying-and through this activity kids can gain a fuller appreciation of the environment.
Once the book has been obtained, filling it out is completely up to the child. Some helpful suggestions might include adding the date and time of the observations, descriptions of what is experienced, and an illustration if possible. Any follow up research on what has been recorded in the journal can be of enormous value too, and it can go right in the notebook as an "update."
Creating a journal can be rewarding not only for the child but also for the adult involved in the project-and you might be surprised by some of the discoveries just waiting to be made by a young, curious mind!