Do It Yourself

As a nature journaling teacher, I am frequently asked, “How do I get my child/students interested in nature journaling?“

The first step is to do it yourself.

It’s very hard to convince someone that nature journaling is important if you don’t do it! Author Oliver Burkeman wrote about this topic in his recent newsletter: “…in the end, you have to live the sort of life you want your child to choose to embrace.” If you want your child or classroom to nature journal, then make sure they see you going out and nature journaling. Your interest and enthusiasm is the best motivator, and the best way to communicate that you believe that this is a valuable way to spend your time.

For classroom teachers, I know this isn’t an option in the moment if you’re in charge of twenty 2nd graders running around the school yard, but you can certainly bring in your journal from home to share, or put up photos on the smart board from your journaling over the weekend. Depending on your confidence level, you could also try journaling either before or after school — which would mean other teachers and students from the school also witness you out there, journal in hand, attention absorbed by the bark of a tree, a flower bud on a bush, or a snail slowly making its way through the leaves… which might sound intimidating, but also, you never know who else you might inspire!

But what if you don’t want to nature journal? Then I wonder, why do you care if this child or these children do it? If it’s important to you that they do it, then it’s important enough for you to do it, too. Maybe you feel like it’s just not your thing, for whatever reason. Then maybe you could spend some time figuring out what is “your thing.” For example, if it’s simply about spending time in nature, then go do that — and you can try bringing a journal and a pencil along, just in case inspiration strikes.

“What did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes? Herein lies the key to your earthly pursuits.” ― Carl Jung

I have heard adults saying they want their kid to learn how to draw and nature journal because they wish they’d had the opportunity when they were younger. But if we insist upon them learning how to do it for this reason alone, it can just hurt our relationships, especially if we also expect them to be grateful for it. You have to ask yourself first, “Is this really about them and what they want and need, or is it about me?” Don’t push something on someone else just because you think you should.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” ― Pablo Picasso

So then what happens if you start nature journaling or have been doing it for awhile, and you’re still meeting resistance or disinterest? I have some ideas to help with that which I will write about more in future posts, but for now I want to emphasize that being an example of someone interested in nature journaling does make a difference, even if it’s not obvious right away. It shows them what is possible, and you never know when they might change their mind. All children go through stages of embracing and discarding interests. Keep offering the option to them, and don’t give up!

One last point — you don’t have to be “good” at nature journaling for it to be worthwhile. In fact, demonstrating your learning, your mistakes, your messy sketches, gives kids a sense that they can do it, too… I address this in more detail in my post about growth mindset.