Nature Vacations: A Book "Nature Study The Easy Way"

As our nature study is done in a very relaxed, natural way, I was quite interested when I received an email from Cindy Rushton titled "Nature Study and Family Day!"

I've posted bits of the email which was excerpted from her best selling book Nature Study The Easy Way E-Book

I thought of [our monthly Nature Study family trips] as fun and learning, but never equated them with enough value to consider this, our every day life, as educational. I knew that books were educational, but what about all of those "things" we found ourselves doing on ...our Family Day?? In all of the "books" with field trip ideas, those things were listed, but did this really count as SCHOOL?? Oh Yes! It did count and really was greater because it instilled a love of learning, which would last during all of our life.

...Nature Study is all around us...The natural things that are done with the family each day can become the vital, life-giving "curriculum" that breathes life into your studies. The study of Nature Study can become easy as we make a priority to have a set time for a "Nature Study Excursion [or Family Day]" each month!

...As I watched my children, I realized just how EASY Nature Study really is. I did not have to prepare a lesson - God had already prepared the lessons of the day. I did not have to know any questions or any answers to the questions that were bubbling up from deep within my children. As they played, the lessons developed and were learned first-hand. I just sat back and enjoyed the fresh air, the cool breeze, and the excitement of learning from curiosity!

...Just in...one excursion, the children learned about currents, pond life (scum is what I call it!), skipping rocks, edible plants, making boats, racing boats, finding rocks, catching minnows, hunting for frog eggs.just to name few things! This did not take any planning by my husband or me. These lessons developed from a mixture of the bounty before us and the curiosity God places inside each of us!

...As parents, we do not have to have the "knowledge" about everything...We just need to seize all the natural, easy lessons before us...the ability to observe and enjoy! We can ask questions...take time to notice the details...And we can teach the most important lesson of all - to look it up!

...Nature Study is just another area of life that God teaches us once we seek...Of all...those simple lessons from our time together as a family learning together - the greatest lesson is that our family memories are more important than sticking a bunch of dry, useless facts into the minds of our children. Those relationships are our priority. These days shared together are our treasures! This cannot get lost in the pursuit of knowledge because it is the Main Thing!

...This reminds me of our adventures in camping! ... We were learning minute-by-minute the whole time we were there. Sure, there were wonderful lessons in nature...even collected some nature goodies. But the most important aspect of this time together was not the lessons, but the unspoken lesson - that time together is fun. We can giggle and enjoy the memories now and forever. This is something that can never be taken away! Prayerfully one day, our children will take their
children camping and tell the "stories" of our memories we built-even if they are completely hilarious!

... the neatest thing about our family times has to be that Harold and I do not have to plan lessons or objectives for our "teaching" times. We simply teach the most important lessons of all - who we are!

We want to teach our children to love God, to see the preciousness of others, to stay in awe of the little things to be learned, to seize each moment for all the joy and fun in it, and that a happy Christ-centered family life is the most precious gift we possess. These lessons are easily taught during that time set aside for family. They are a precious commodity!

So, why not tap in to what you and your family "happen" to do naturally? ...