How to start a nature journal

Welcome to The Regenerators.

Have you ever experienced something special in nature and wished you could bottle up the memory? Try nature journalling.

The wonders of nature can be found anywhere – in the sky above you, the ground beneath your feet and the street outside your house. You don’t need to go very far to feel closer to nature – start by observing the world from your windowsill or back garden. What can you see? How does it make you feel?

A nature journal is a space where you can record your thoughts and feelings about what you see or experience in nature.

There are no hard and fast rules about what the journal should contain or look like, so it’s really up to you how you want to fill it – e.g. with drawings, paintings, poems or clippings from magazines.

If you’re looking for ideas, keep on reading and check out the top tips below from some experienced nature journal-ers .

Anyone can take up nature journalling – you don’t need much to start!

• A journal or notebook of any size
• A pencil or pen
• Coloured pencils or watercolours (optional)
• Glue stick (optional)

Aneeshwar lives in Warrington. He’s been named Young Conservationist Climate Leader by the Prime Minister and Young Scientific Explorer by the Scientific Exploration Society for creating short, online videos to raise awareness about protecting nature.

Here are Aneeshwar's top nature journalling tips - check them out!

Always have a pen and paper with you. You never know when inspiration might strike! It’s okay to just jot down simple thoughts or ideas you have when you’re out in nature, and then explore them more when you have a chance.

Bring a camera (or ask your adult). Ask your parent/carer to bring their smartphone or camera with them when you go out so they can help you take pictures of things you find interesting. This is good if the weather isn’t brilliant – it gives you a way to remember the plants and animals you see when you get home. You can also go back to the same spot on a different day if you want to try again!

Keep it simple. Don’t overthink it. Your journal is yours alone, so fill it with whatever makes you happy and reminds you what you love most about nature. There’s no right or wrong way to do it – just remember to have fun.

Benji is a young naturalist and artist based in Sussex.

He calls himself Benjamin Fallow after the fallow deer, his favourite animals. “He loves drawing, especially in the countryside – so much so that he’s been carrying paper and pens in his backpack since he was three!” says his mum. Spending a lot of time in nature has encouraged him to learn more about the animals, insects, and plants around him.

Benji says, “When you really look at nature and see it, you love it and care for it too. All plants and animals and humans are connected, and we can’t survive without each other.”

Here are some of his suggestions:

• Use materials found in nature. Nature journalling can be cheap (and even free) – mother nature can provide all of the materials you need! Benji likes to use twigs as pencils and brushes or makes his own paintbrushes out of sticks. You can also use lichen or moss as a sponge to paint with.

• Spot wildlife anywhere. Who says you need to go to a national park to be inspired? If you look really closely, you’ll find nature everywhere – from your window, in your garden or in the street. Wherever you are, if you spot something that grabs your attention, write it down in your journal or do a quick sketch of it. You’re a nature journal-er now!

Louise has been nature journalling since she was 11. She lives on the Isle of Mull, one of the most beautiful islands in the UK teeming with wildlife. Louise is passionate about nature and wants to be a conservation vet when she’s older.

“For me, nature journalling can be whatever you want it to be. One of my first journals was focused on stargazing. I drew different constellations I could see at night and write down their names. I used black paper and white gel pens for the night sky,” says Louise.

Lacking inspiration for your nature journal? Check out these ideas from Louise.

• Go out in all kinds of weather. Try exploring the outdoors when it rains, after the sun has set or when the skies are grey. You may think you’ll see more when it’s sunny, but sometimes it can be too hot for the animals for them to come out – so don’t be afraid of exploring when the weather’s not perfect!

• Find a poem you like. If you come across a poem or short story about nature that you like, you can copy it into your journal and illustrate it. Or even better, why not write your own version?

• Focus on colours. You can choose a colour theme for each month or season. For example, in the autumn, you could choose to focus on plants and animals in autumnal colours – like deep red, burnt orange or pale yellow.

If you’re going to venture outside, keep in mind these things.

• Always have an adult with you and let others know where you’re going
• If it’s cold, wear lots of layers
• Wear shoes that cover your whole feet instead of sandals
• Try not to touch plants or animals that you’ve never seen before or may be poisonous

Discover more about the planet and how to protect it with the Regenerators.