Some gardeners keep journals. Kids can keep journals, too, even if they cannot write yet. Here's a few tips on how to get kids to keep a garden journal.
Keeping a garden journal
The garden is a place of sustenance and a place to learn about the ways of nature. Good observational skills are needed to be fully into the garden. Keeping a journal can help you recognize these wonders and common occurrences in the garden.
A journal can help kids be a scientist or nature sleuth, finding out the basics and complexities of life and life cycles. It can also be a place where their thoughts and drawings can come alive on the page. Kids can have this journal for years to come so they will have the necessary skills to help them in future years' garden adventures.
There is no right or wrong way to keep a journal. Include the date, time and the event., writing down as many details as necessary to be complete. The details can later help determine what might have gone wrong or what worked better for certain plants.
Younger children can just draw pictures, and you can help your child by writing the correct names for things like plants.
Simple garden journals
Keep it a simple journal. Too much fancy stuff and kids will soon forget the journal.
Most home and garden stores carry specialty garden journals, but you can also use any blank journal or even a plain notebook. Use your favorite search engine online to find garden journals on the Internet.
Making your own journal
Making a journal is a fun way to prevent boredom because the kids get to design it and have a choice as to how it will look. There are sets you can buy at most hobby and craft stores, and even some department stores carry basic scrapbook information and supplies.
You can take a three ring binder, some graph paper and lined (or unlined) paper and make your own garden journal if your child doesn't want to invest too much time in it. But most kids will want to invest the time to make it a personal journal.
Use markers, paint and anything else that can be thought of for the journal. Don't forget to add your name and perhaps a name for your garden as well. Remember to date every entry.
Have a good time exploring the many ways of keeping a garden journal.
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