I decided I wanted the boys to start nature journaling.

I thought it might be fun way to work on identifying plants and encourage them to draw something that does not include superheroes and epic battles.

We did a trial run on Saint Patrick’s Day and it went really well.

I bought them the little journal books at Hobby Lobby for under $3 each and made them both a pencil roll.

I used this tutorial as a guide but ended up not being as precise as she was.

Because I am lazy…

I tried making the slits for the pencils with an exacto knife like she did but was having trouble getting through the felt.

I ended up just drawing a line where I wanted the cuts, folding the felt, and cutting it with scissors.

I used twine I had on hand to hold them shut.

I actually had everything I needed on hand to make these or it would have never happened.

I like spur of the moment projects.

We got to try them out yesterday and they worked great!

I told them to pick any plant to draw and of course both of them chose to do a clover leaf like they did for Saint Patrick’s Day.

I was not sure about them putting the pencils back in to the rolls but my youngest did not seem to have a problem.

I told him it was kind of like weaving.

He said, “these are pencils not yarn.”

I am glad he cleared that up for me…

What do you do to help your kids enjoy nature?