Easy Nature Journal Prompts

'Stillness & Quiet'

January nature journal prompt 1: Stillness & Quiet

Record a moment of January calm - perhaps between storms, in frost or fog, in rain, or in a rare pause of silence.

Take a moment to stop. Notice what’s around you. What can you see, hear, feel?

You might choose to draw, write a few words, note the weather, or simply sit with the feeling and let it settle.

There’s no need to capture everything - just one small, quiet moment is enough.

'The Return of the Light'

January nature journal prompt 2: The Return of the Light

At this time in January, the days are still short - but the light is quietly on its way back.

Maybe it’s a brighter morning sky, a longer afternoon glow, or the way sunlight catches frost on a hedgerow.

In your journal, note where you notice the light returning - outside or within.

Sometimes the smallest changes can carry the most hope...

'Trees in Winter'

January nature journal prompt 3: Trees in Winter

January is a quiet month, and winter trees invite us to slow down and really see what remains when everything else is pared back.

Without leaves, their shapes and structures are revealed - twisting branches, scars, strength, and stories written in bark.

In your nature journal, try sketching a single tree, noticing its silhouette, or writing about what feels steady and rooted in your own life right now.

Winter shows us that this time of rest is not emptiness - it’s preparation - time to notice the structure of our lives that the rest of the year will build on...

'Winter birds close to home'

January nature journal prompt 4: Winter Birds Close to Home

In winter, birds come closer - to feeders, hedges, and quiet corners of our gardens.

January is a wonderful time to slow down and notice who’s visiting.

Listen for calls, watch behaviours, sketch a bird from memory, or jot down who arrives and when.

These small moments of connection can become precious winter memories.

'Shoots & Buds'

January nature journal prompt 5: Shoots & Buds

January can look bare - but look closely and you’ll find buds already forming.

Tiny shoots, swelling tips on branches, the promise of growth hidden beneath winter’s stillness.

In your nature journal, try drawing a single bud up close, or writing about something in your life that’s quietly preparing to grow.

Nature never truly stops - it just works softly.

'February Snowdrops & Early Flowers'

February nature journal prompt 1: Early Flowers

Notice the first flowers pushing through winter soil and record their quiet promise of spring.

Snowdrops are likely in bloom now - a whispered secret from the earth reminding us that even in these cold days, the gentle first flowers of spring are bringing hope.

If you feel drawn to it, try sketching or noting the first flowers you notice this week.

February Birdsong

February nature journal prompt 2: February Birdsong

February is when the silence starts to soften. A robin, a great tit, a chaffinch testing their voice...

You might like to pause and record the first birdsong you hear in your nature journal.

An app like Merlin Bird ID can help you to identify the birds you're hearing, if you'd like to identify them.

Still cold, still quiet'

February nature journal prompt 3: Still cold, still quiet...

February still has many days which are cold, rainy, or foggy.

Record frost, rain, fog, ice, snow, bare earth, or the winter textures that remain in your nature journal.