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Keeping a nature journal has become one of the most meaningful ways I’ve found to deepen my connection with the natural world. It slows me down, sharpens my attention, and helps me move from simply being outside to truly noticing what’s around me. This year, I made a commitment to begin a regular practice of nature journaling, inspired by the work of naturalist and educator John Muir Laws—and I can honestly say it’s been one of the most grounding habits I’ve added to my days.
What Is a Nature Journal?
A nature journal is a place to record your observations of the natural world using words, sketches, numbers, and questions. It isn’t about creating perfect art or writing poetic prose. At its heart, nature journaling is about paying attention.
A simple journal entry might include:
- A quick sketch of a leaf, bird, or cloud
- Notes about the weather, season, or time of day
- Questions you’re wondering about
- Colors, patterns, behaviors, or changes you notice
My own entries are a blend of observation and reflection. I write, sketch, and paint what I notice in my backyard, and I bring my journal along on nature walks—whether I’m wandering a wooded trail or circling the lake near home.
How Nature Journaling Deepens Connection
Keeping a nature journal invites relationship. When you return again and again to observe the same place, you begin to notice rhythms—who shows up when, what changes with the light, how the season quietly shifts.
For me, nature journaling has:
- Deepened my sense of belonging to place
- Helped me notice small, easily overlooked details
- Encouraged curiosity instead of distraction
- Created a record of seasonal memory I can return to
The more time I spend journaling my observations of nature, the more alive the landscape feels. Nature stops being a backdrop and starts feeling like a community I’m part of.
The Basics of Keeping a Nature Journal
If you’re new to starting a nature journal, keep it simple. You don’t need special skills or fancy supplies.
At its most basic, a nature journal asks three gentle questions:
- What do I notice?
- What do I wonder?
- What does this remind me of?
You can write full sentences or jot down fragments. You can sketch carefully or loosely. There’s no right way to keep a nature journal—only your way.
Tools I Use in My Nature Journal
I sketch primarily with pencil and use watercolor and colored pencil to add color. My favorite journal is a large multimedia notebook—the Stillman & Birn Alpha Series in A4 size. The heavyweight paper holds up beautifully to watercolor while still feeling good for pencil work.
I should also say that I didn’t gather all of my nature journaling supplies at once. I’ve built them up slowly over time. Some of what I use now are things I already had on hand from other art projects I’ve dabbled in over the years. I’m a creative person by nature, and I’ve always found myself circling back to different forms of art—sketching, painting, experimenting—without needing to be perfect at any of it.
That said, the best tools for a nature journal are the ones you’ll actually use. A simple notebook and pencil are more than enough to begin.
Where to Journal (Even If You Don’t Live in the Wild)
You don’t need access to wilderness to practice nature journaling. Some of my favorite observations come from very ordinary places.
You can journal:
- In your backyard or on your porch
- At a city park or along a sidewalk
- Near a pond, lake, or river
- From a window, watching birds or weather
- On daily walks through your neighborhood
Nature is everywhere. The act of journaling helps you see it.
Getting Unstuck with Your Journal
Some days, I open my nature journal and feel completely stuck. On those days, I’ll look up simple prompts to help get things flowing again. A single question—What’s moving today? or What sound keeps returning?—is often enough to shift my attention.
A nature journal doesn’t need inspired moments to be meaningful. Showing up is enough.
Related post: Nature Journal Prompts for Deepening Your Connection to Place
Making Peace with Imperfection
I use my journal almost every day, though I miss days here and there—and that’s okay. Nature journaling isn’t about streaks or discipline. It’s about relationship. Some days are fuller than others, just like the seasons themselves.
A Crow, a Lake, and a Long Friendship Attempt
So far, my favorite journal entries have been about the crows who regularly visits here at the lake. I’ve been trying to befriend them for ages by leaving little gifts and peanuts—which feels both hopeful and slightly ridiculous, in the best way.
Watching this crow, sketching their posture, noting their habits, and recording my small attempts at connection has been unexpectedly joyful. My nature journal has turned this everyday encounter into an ongoing story.
Why I’m Loving Keeping a Nature Journal
Keeping a nature journal has become a quiet anchor in my days. It brings me back into my body, back into the season, and back into relationship with the land around me. It reminds me that connection grows through attention—and that wonder is often waiting right outside the door.
If you’ve been craving a deeper nature connection, starting a nature journal might be a beautiful place to begin. You don’t need to be an artist or a writer. You just need curiosity, a little time, and a willingness to notice.
Download a free resource sheet below to help you get started nature journaling.
More to Explore: Deepening Your Nature Connection
If nature journaling has stirred something in you — curiosity, calm, presence — here are gentle, thoughtful reads that will support your journey of slow, mindful living and connection with the land:
🌲 Nature Journaling & Nature Connection
Why You Should Start Nature Journaling: Plus 20 FREE Printable Journal Pages — An earlier dive into nature journaling practices, reflections, and printable pages to help you begin.
12 Easy Ways for Connecting with Nature to Improve Your Health & Happiness — Practical, gentle ideas to help you feel more at home in the natural world.
🌼 Living with Presence & Place
How to Live Connected to Place: 7 Tips for Building a Strong Sense of Belonging — A lovely companion to nature journaling, this explores how mindful observation and rooted daily rituals help deepen your sense of home.
Embracing Presence and Purpose: 9 Easy Ways to a More Mindful Life — A heart-centered look at slowing down, savoring everyday moments, and finding meaning through simplicity.
🍃 Seasonal & Slow Living
Seasonal Living: 13 Best Ways to Connect with Nature — Offers seasonal practices that naturally pair with a journaling habit — noticing rhythms, cycles, and shifts in the land.
20 Practical Slow Living Tips for a Purposeful Life — A down-to-earth approach to living intentionally, aligning with nature’s pace instead of rush.
Following Nature’s Calendar (With FREE Seasonal Checklist) — A beautifully written piece on observing seasonal change — perfect grounding material for journal entries.
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