How to Start a Summer Nature School

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Have you ever wanted to slow down, get outside more with your kids, and truly explore the natural world around you? That was the heart behind starting our Summer Nature School — a community-based outdoor program that turned into one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done.

I live near the edge of a stunning mountain range, just five minutes from a canyon filled with trails, wildlife, and beauty. But like many of us, I found myself not taking advantage of it often enough. So one summer, I decided to change that — not just for my family, but for anyone who wanted to join us.

This post will walk you through how I started a summer nature school from scratch, what worked well, what we learned, and how you can do something similar in your own community — even on a small scale.

Why Start a Nature School?

I’d never run a group like this before, but I felt a deep pull to help kids (and adults!) reconnect with our local plants, animals, and ecosystems. I also wanted to build community and create an environment where learning happened naturally — outdoors, hands-on, and joyfully.

And it worked! I emailed our local homeschool group, invited friends from church and family, and was amazed by the huge response. Parents volunteered to help lead. I created a Facebook group for communication. Each week had a theme, a short lesson, a simple activity, and lots of time to explore and play.

How Our Nature School Was Set Up

• Length: Weekly sessions, for 12 weeks in summer

• Participants: Open invite — families came when they could

• Format: 10–15 minute mini-lesson + themed activity + outdoor play

• Locations: Rotating local parks, trails, and forest areas

• Communication: Facebook group + email updates

• Contribution: Community-led — I taught 3 sessions, others took turns teaching

 

Our Summer Nature School Weekly Themes

We built a flexible 12-week nature school schedule that covered a wide range of local topics. Each session included a short teaching moment, a hands-on activity or art project, and plenty of unstructured time outdoors.

Week 1: Introduction to Nature Study + Local History

We kicked things off with quotes from Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock and talked about why nature matters. We introduced nature journaling, reviewed trail etiquette, and did a nature scavenger hunt near a local reservoir.
Download the scavenger hunt I used here
Also check out my Spring Nature Scavenger Hunt.

Week 2: Birds

I printed and laminated photos of 20 local birds and played their songs using the Chirp app. We identified features and practiced drawing birds.
Resources: All About Birds, The Burgess Bird Book, local field guides.

Week 3: Trees

Nature walk + bark and leaf rubbings, stump ring counting, and basic tree identification.

Week 4: Wildflowers

We observed and sketched flowers, learned their names, and took home seeds to plant (provided, not picked from the wild).

Week 5: Insects

Bug hunt day! Kids brought jars to collect, observe, and release bugs. We compared insect body parts and talked about pollinators.

Week 6: Leaf Art & Scavenger Hunt

We explored leaf shapes, did rubbings, and created leaf art after collecting fallen leaves.

Week 7: Local Animals

We discussed native species, looked at animal tracks, and shared fun animal facts.

Week 8: Rocks

Kids brought favorite rocks to share, and we explored local rock types and did a rock sorting activity.

Week 9: Survival Skills

We practiced basic outdoor skills like building a shelter, identifying safe plants, and water safety.

Week 10: Habitats

We explored different local habitats (wetland, forest, meadow) and how animals adapt to them.

Week 11: Caring for Nature

We did a forest trash clean-up and talked about conservation and stewardship.

Week 12: Water

Stream, river, reservoir and pond exploration — we studied water flow, aquatic bugs, and how clean water impacts ecosystems.

The Berenstain Bears Nature Guide. is another fun resource we love!

Tips for Starting Your Own Nature School

• Start small – even just one family or a few friends is enough

• Keep it flexible – open attendance makes it manageable

• Rotate leadership – invite parents or teens to help lead

• Use what’s local – parks, trails, ponds, nature centers

• Keep the focus on wonder, not perfection – let curiosity lead