Nature Study Unit Studies & Resources for Ages 4-12
27 curated resources, 18 of them free or with a free tier.
Blossom and Root
Secular, nature-based, creative homeschool curriculum.
No Sweat Nature Study (Our Journey Westward)
Nature-study science curriculum for grades 1-8, designed to be simple and flexible.
Treehouse Schoolhouse
Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum and Treehouse Nature Study, with Early Years (PreK-K), Primary (K-3) and Intermediate (4th-8th) ranges.
Homeschool Nature Study (Outdoor Hour Challenge)
Barb McCoy's nature study membership and guides, based on the Handbook of Nature Study, with seasonal lessons and follow-up activities.
Wild Explorers Club
Online nature adventure program with weekly assignments and videos; designed for ages 6-12 and religiously neutral. Paid monthly, free two-week trial.
Raising Little Shoots
Slow, seasonal, Charlotte Mason-inspired nature study, with free nature journal pages and seasonal guides.
Exploring Nature
Science and nature illustrations, labeling pages and printable worksheets for K-12; membership for full access.
Pandia Press (REAL Science Odyssey)
Publisher of REAL Science Odyssey science and the History Quest series.
Apologia
Christian K-12 curriculum publisher, including elementary science.
iNaturalist
Record and share observations of plants and animals and get help identifying them from a community of naturalists.
4.1 ★ (700) App Store · Oct 2026
Seek by iNaturalist
Kid-safe app that identifies plants, animals and fungi with the camera and awards badges. No registration.
4.8 ★ (31k) App Store · Oct 2026
Merlin Bird ID
Free bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: identify birds by sound, photo or three simple questions.
4.9 ★ (114k) App Store · Oct 2026
Cornell Lab K-12 Education
Bird and nature lessons and activities by grade band (K-2, 3-5, 6-8).
1000 Hours Outside
Challenge to spend 1000 hours outside in a year, with free trackers, an app and a podcast.
4.8 ★ (8k) App Store · Oct 2026
Ranger Rick (National Wildlife Federation)
Wildlife and nature content for kids from the National Wildlife Federation, plus Ranger Rick magazines.
5.0 ★ (8) App Store · Oct 2026
National Wildlife Federation: Kids and Family
NWF programs, tools and resources to help parents get their children outside.
NPS Junior Ranger Program
Earn a Junior Ranger badge by completing activities at national parks, or online.
Oak Meadow
Waldorf-inspired, nature-based curriculum with print and online options, strong on arts and the outdoors.
John Muir Laws (Nature Journaling)
Free nature-journaling lessons, workshops, and curricula that teach kids to observe and draw the natural world.
SciStarter
Directory of thousands of citizen science projects, searchable by topic, location, and age.
NestWatch (Cornell Lab)
Cornell Lab citizen science: find and monitor bird nests and report data that tracks breeding birds.
Great Backyard Bird Count
Four-day February event: count birds for as little as 15 minutes and submit sightings to scientists.
FrogWatch USA
Learn frog and toad calls, then monitor a local wetland and report what you hear each season.
Bumble Bee Watch
Upload photos of bumble bees; experts verify them and the data tracks where each species lives.
PictureThis
Plant identification app: snap a photo to name plants, trees, and flowers and learn how they grow.
Green Kid Crafts
Monthly science and art discovery boxes with eco-friendly materials and a nature focus for ages 2-10.
Operation Ouch
Twin doctors Chris and Xand explore the human body with experiments and real hospital stories.