Wild Days: Creating Discovery Journals
"Charlotte Mason said, 'As soon as he is able to keep it himself, a nature diary is a source of delight to a child. Every day's walk gives him something to enter...' Not only is this activity a source of delight to a child, but it is a source of delight and respite to the busy mother. Being in tune with God's world helps us find balance in our lives.Wild Days will inspire you and your children to keep your own nature journals. The many beautiful illustrations are taken from Karen's actual nature notebook and those of her children. I highly recommend this lovely book to those interested in recording their experiences with nature." --Penny Gardner, author of Charlotte Mason Study Guide"I introduced nature notebooks to my children just the way you described. It worked just the way you said it would. They loved it! It is their favorite part of our homeschool."  --Jaqueline Wettwer, homeschool mother of four"I tried a 'Wild Day' with my Brownie troop. They really loved it! It was so wonderful. They were so involved with their drawings and observations that the time just flew by. They didn't even want to stop for treats." --Elizabeth Braymen, Girl Scout Leader"To notice the painting on a flower, the shape of a cloud, the song of a thrush and the cool smoothness of the bark on a birch tree, these are the memories captured in a nature journal. Nature studies are an integral part of the living atmosphere of a classroom. Without them, trees become merely pictures, flowers lose their fragrance, birds are without song and movement, and life exists only outside the window. To know nature is a source of refreshment and pleasure for every person--teachers and students alike.Within my own classroom, nature studies have been a biweekly habit of picking up our notebooks and colored pencils and heading outside to be still, quiet and thoughtful. Afterwards, we use a field guide to identify our new discoveries. Oftentimes, these moments are the most productive of the entire day, and they serve to provide the much needed mind-food for other academic disciplines." --Jennifer Brownlee, classroom teacher