I have many strong feelings about my children’s education, and the education system as a whole. I imagine most homeschooling parents do, otherwise they’d have no reason to go against the grain of mainstream society and set out on this journey. It isn’t easy when there is a naysayer shouting “What about socialization?!?” around every corner. Insert eyeroll and exasperated sigh.

One passionate opinion I have is about the way science is taught in the elementary years. While I am not a 1000 Hours Outside advocate, I firmly believe all science education should begin with the natural science, or environmental education. Why? Because it’s tangible, children are experiencing it real time (which makes them curious), and everything is interconnected in nature. You cannot study nature without intersecting with biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy and Earth science.

We are wrapping up our first homeschooling year, and it has taken us down some unexpected roads. I knew our main focus this year would be reading, math and some sort of nature science. While I might possess a B.S. in environmental science and biology, I am not an environmental scientist, a biologist, or an educator. Because of this, I prefer to leave curriculum development to the professionals, and add in as I see fit. Yes, I could probably ad hoc their education, but that isn’t what feels comfortable to me. With that said, any curriculum I select must meet two criteria: 1) it has to be gentle and fun, and 2) it must be secular. Both are non-negotiable.

Today, we’re focusing on the three nature studies curricula we tried this year – Exploring Nature with Children, Beautiful Feet Books and Treehouse Schoolhouse Nature Studies. Read on to find out what I thought of each. Hopefully, it helps you decide what is right for the little learner in your life.

Exploring Nature with Children

Exploring Nature with Children was the first nature studies curriculum I purchased. Created by Raising Little Shoots, Exploring Nature with Children follows the seasons in a complete, year-long curriculum. Each month includes a shopping list of materials you may need, a booklist, a poem, an art study suggestion, and topics to discuss on a nature walk (which is the main lesson portion).

WHAT I LIKED

First and foremost, I like(d) that the entire year cost only $19. As a bibliophile, I appreciated the literature-heavy nature of the program, as well as the curated booklists. Following along with the seasons resonated with me because it makes sense to my Type-A brain. Lastly, I loved the idea of our outdoor education taking place on a nature walk. How fitting. Maybe that would help me get the kids on more hikes thought I. I was wrong.

WHAT I DIDN’T

First things first, I didn’t love the formatting, or lack thereof, of this program. Everything runs together in one Word document. There were no tables, or day-to-day suggestions – the different pieces of the week separated only by a bold heading on an otherwise totally black and white document. It was overwhelming and underwhelming all at the same time. I also didn’t enjoy that I had to actually search for the suggested artwork, purchase the materials and pick up books at the library. On top of all that, it would be hard to discuss any topics further if you didn’t have a background in the earth sciences, which means you’d need to do your own research. It seemed like A LOT of work for one nature walk per week.

Seasons Afield Nature Study

In addition to the literature-rich curriculum, I liked that each lesson provided some reading comprehension and brought up ideas and resources I might have overlooked. For example, onomatopoeia is not something I often thing of readily. In the same lesson, educators are encouraged to show their learner’s a video on how to make linen from flax, which is something I probably wouldn’t have thought of on my own, and definitely not something I would’ve sought out for a real world exposure.

WHAT I DIDN’T

Treehouse Schoolhouse Nature Studies

Last but certainly not least – Treehouse Schoolhouse Nature Study. The Treehouse Schoolhouse Nature Study is a “seasonal nature study curriculum designed with family-style learning in mind.” Charlotte Mason-inspired, it includes plenty of exposure to living books, projects, and nature journaling, as well as a poetry, music and art study. This nature study includes 52-weeks and follows the seasons. The curriculum can be purchased as a digital download, or as a hard copy, and can be purchased as a package ($149) or as individual seasons ($45/each).

WHAT I LIKED

T/S Nature Study is stunning and can be used with multiple age groups. It’s layout is thoughtfully and intentionally designed with the educator in mind. Each season is carefully organized into digital folders. It is then further divided into a folder for Books and Reference Materials, Student Sheets and a Teacher’s Guide. As if it could get any better, the Teacher’s Guide is simple and includes a T-A-B-L-E, as well as instructions needed for the activities. Can you imagine it? Additionally, the organization gets so granular as to plan specific weeks dedicated to the Equinoxes and Solstices.

As for the actual substance of the program, I find that it has just enough information on each topic to pique curiosity, without being boring to those that have zero interest in the topic of the week. There is a copy-work component, with printables provided. This will make end-of-year submissions much simpler. Because this can be used across multiple ages, I’m excited to compare their copy-work from one year to the next.

WHAT I DIDN’T

The only initial concern I had with Treehouse Schoolhouse was the creator’s very prominent religious views and background. They are very publicly displayed on her website, and for a secular homeschooling family, that was… off-putting to say the least. That said, those views are not reflected in the Nature Study whatsoever. We have been using the curriculum since January. Of all the literature she’s recommended, only one had any religious undertones, and it was very clearly marked as such.

My second “issue” has less to do with the study and more to do with our public libraries. I often find myself having to swap books out last minute because our library doesn’t have the recommended ones. I find this to be a real bummer, because the T/S creator has gone through such painstaking efforts to curate the booklist for her program. We do our best with a big sigh and a bigger library haul.

Trendsetter Takeaway

Of the three programs we tried this year, Treehouse Schoolhouse was by far my favorite. It’s organization, adaptability to multiple age groups, and variety of beauty subjects it touches (art, music, poetry), make this program a no-brainer for me. If you’re curious about it, T/S offers a free week in their downloads section. Treehouse Schoolhouse is a great program for families with little kids, or ones who are looking to wade gently into nature studies.

In close second is the Seasons Afield Program by Beautiful Feet Books, which I do expect to revisit this year. This program would be great for a family with older children, and/or one that is already well-established with the loop method.

Exploring Nature with Children is like a very basic first rough draft of the Treehouse Schoolhouse program. I don’t recommend it, unless you have budgetary concerns and have time (and resources) for the extra legwork.

No matter which program you choose (or another entirely), you’re giving your child an amazing gift by home educating them. Keep up the good work!