Nature Exploration Kit

Do your kids love exploring and collecting nature? Mine sure does! Which is why I put together this simple D.I.Y. Nature Exploration Kit for Kids! It has all the supplies we need to go out, observe nature and maybe collect a few items to bring home for further inspection.

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D.I.Y. Nature Exploration Kit for Kids

You don’t really need much to make a nature exploration kit for your kids. If you can get most of the items on this list you’ll be off to a good start! Don’t forget you can always add more items or even upgrade some items as your children gain more experience exploring nature!

Magnifying Glass– This will come in handy when taking a close inspection of tiny insects, details flowers or rocks.
Binoculars– Binoculars are a big necessity when bird watching or observing animals from a distance. These children’s binoculars are adequate for now, but we will upgrade to a better pair soon.
Digital Camera- I decided to use an old iPhone as our digital camera. They are small and the images are easily downloaded. We have a sturdy children’s digital camera, but the photos it takes are usually fuzzy.
Flashlight- Flashlights are needed for nighttime nature observation, such as owl watching.
Small Sketchbook– A small sketchbook is handy for taking notes as well as drawing nature observations.

Colored Pencils– Your kids will need colored pencils to draw their nature observations in their sketchbook. We added Twistables which are a great alternative for broken pencils.
Local Nature Guides- Nature guides are needed to help identify plants, birds and animals. This Take Along Guide is great for kids!
Animal Tracks Identification Card with Ruler- We are always using our card for identifying animal tracks we find in our yard. These little cards also have a ruler drawn along the edge to measuring prints and other things.
Canvas Tote or backpack- You’ll also need a canvas tote bag or backpack for storing all these nature observation tools! We used a canvas tote that we decorated with an iron-on patch and fabric markers.

Do you enjoy going on nature hunts and observing nature with your kids? Then you’ll enjoy our new interactive nature series for kids we are working on with our friends at Still Playing School! We recently discovered our mutual love of all things nature and have decided to share our nature finds on Instagram! Please join Stir the Wonder and Still Playing School on Instagram by tagging your nature photos with #kidsnaturehunt so we can all enjoy the beautiful world around us.