Whether you're an expert naturalist or newer to the scene, nature journals are a great tool to have in your outdoor toolkit. Not only can journaling help you remember what you've seen in nature, but it can also help you to concentrate and slow down while you're outside, hopefully leading to mindfulness and stress relief. There are many different ways you can nature journal: maybe you like writing about your experiences in nature, or maybe you are more into drawing the things you observe. No matter what your approach, though, nature journals are a great way for us to expand our environmental literacy and to slow down and relax outdoors. And remember, nature journals are not supposed to look perfect. I loved this quote from a blog about nature journaling (full entry linked below):

"A nature journal should never be an onerous chore, one that you feel under pressure to complete everyday, or that you feel needs to contain perfect pictures or writing. That’s not a journal, that’s a rod for your back. A journal should be a playful, helpful, adventurous, extension of yourself."

Nature journals can also be a fun activity for the whole family. One great way to get kids excited about nature journaling is through sit spots (learn more about sit spots here). Focusing on a particular sense (like smell or hearing) can be another fun way to get kids started with journaling. 

I've linked some prompts and ideas for creating a nature journal below as well as some articles about the general benefits. Happy journaling!