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Nature Journaling for Beginners
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A gentle introduction to nature journaling for beginners - helping you begin your first pages, slowly and simply...
If you’re new to nature journaling, it can feel a little uncertain at first - what to notice, what to draw or write, or even how to begin...
This page is a gentle place to start.
You don’t need to know anything in advance, and you don’t need to do it perfectly - just a willingness to pause, notice, and begin with something small...
Together, we'll explore:
- What is nature journaling?
- Why keep a nature journal?
- How to get started?
- Courses & guides
- Mindful nature journaling
- Prompts and ideas
- Highlights from my own first year of nature journaling
- Techniques and tools
Real-life nature journal page with singing robin sketchThere’s something about nature that invites us to slow down - to notice more, to look a little closer, to spend a moment with something small, and let it be enough.
Nature journaling begins in that space. Not with perfect drawings, or knowing the names of everything you see - but with simple observation...
- A bird on a branch.
- The shape of a leaf.
- The way the light changes across a field.
You might be completely new to nature journaling, or you may have started before and weren’t quite sure how to continue.
Wherever you are, this is a gentle place to begin...
Nature journaling for beginners doesn’t need to be complicated - it begins simply, with noticing.
This page brings together simple ways to help you get started with nature journaling, drawn from my own experience of keeping nature journals - from understanding what it is, to finding ideas for your first pages, and building a practice that feels calm, enjoyable, and your own.
There’s no right (or wrong) way to do this - just a quiet invitation to notice... and begin!
What is Nature Journaling?
Nature journaling is a simple and flexible way to:
- Slow down
- Feel more connected with the natural world
- Feel calm, mindful and present
- Express your creativity in your own way
- Learn about nature - in your own garden or further afield
All at your own pace and in your own way.
Put simply, nature journaling is about recording your own experiences of the natural world...
- things you’ve seen, heard, or noticed…
- moments that felt interesting, or meaningful…
- or small details you’d like to remember.
Nature journal with red pelargoniumsIf you're still wondering what nature journaling really means, you can explore my full guide here…
If you're curious about the differences between nature journaling and drawing, this page could help...
Why keep a nature journal?
From my first nature journal pageYou might be wondering whether it’s worth keeping a nature journal at all.
It’s such a simple idea - just noticing and recording small moments in nature - and yet, it can become something surprisingly meaningful.
How to Start
This is where you begin - putting pen (or pencil) to paper and starting your first pages.
If you're wondering what to use, or what to include, my simple guide to getting started will help you take those first steps.
You’ll also find my free Getting Started with Your First Nature Journal guide there — no email sign-up needed.
And if you’d like a little more support as you begin, my Introduction to Nature Journaling guide gently leads you through your first few pages with prompts and encouragement.
How to start nature journalingCourses & Guides
Mindful Nature Journaling
One of my favourite things about nature journaling is how deeply you can feel connected to nature which is really a form of mindfulness...
I've written a guide with my personal tips and ideas for how to feel more mindful in nature and with your nature journaling - you can read my mindful nature journaling page here...
Prompts & Ideas for Your Nature Journal
Birch twig sketch in my nature journalIf you ever find yourself unsure what to draw, write, or notice in your nature journal, I’ve created a growing collection of gentle weekly prompts to help you begin.
Many people find these prompts helpful when keeping a nature journal regularly - especially on days when inspiration feels a little quiet.
These aren’t challenges or tasks - just soft invitations to notice the season you’re in, at your own pace, in your own way.
Explore the weekly nature journaling prompts, so you've always got something to inspire you...
I also hope you'll get ideas and inspiration from looking at my real-life nature journals and seeing how I've recorded nature while also exploring some of the folklore of the wildlife and seasons I experience - you can start exploring those pages here (for more recent journal pages)...
And if you'd like to delve further back into the archives of my first nature journaling year, you can find that here (every nature journal page I made that first year is recorded)...
My First Year of Nature Journaling
When I first began nature journaling, I didn’t have a plan - I simply started noticing and recording small moments as they happened.
From my first year of nature journalingTechniques & Tools
Creative Tools for Nature Journaling
To find out which tools and materials are great for getting started, check out my free guide on this page....
Nature journaling for beginners doesn’t need to be complicated - it begins simply, with noticing...
You might like to continue exploring:
- Seasonal nature journaling inspiration
- A year of nature journal pages
- Nature books and recommendations
- Artwork inspired by nature
- Folklore of nature and wildlife
Deepen Your Nature Journaling Practice
Deepen your nature journaling practice with me...If you’ve enjoyed my nature journaling reflections, you might also like my 20-lesson course, Imperfect Nature Journaling.
It’s a gently structured, self-paced journey designed to help you:
• Slow down and notice more deeply
• Build confidence in drawing and observing
• Create a calming journaling ritual you can return to
• Feel more connected to the seasons and the natural world
No perfection required. Just curiosity and a notebook.
You can explore the course here whenever you’re ready...
P.S. If you’re just beginning - or would like something quieter and more simple to start with - you might first like to get started with my free 'Getting Started' guide or gain momentum with my 'Gentle Introduction' guide to help you through your first few pages - here...
Shall we stay in touch..?
Each month, I share stories from my own nature journal, new art from my studio, and simple seasonal inspiration to help you feel more connected with the turning year - if you'd like to stay updated, please sign up with your email address below...
Recent Articles
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Chaffinch Folklore & Meaning - Song, Seasons & British Nature Art
Apr 15, 26 04:05 AM
Explore chaffinch folklore, song and seasonal meaning in Britain, illustrated with hand-drawn chaffinch art inspired by nature and quiet everyday magic. -
Willow Tree Symbolism and Celtic Willow Art
Apr 14, 26 05:05 AM
Explore willow tree symbolism and meaning - Celtic willow art and printed products... -
Why Keep a Nature Journal? Benefits & Gentle Reasons to Begin
Apr 13, 26 10:27 AM
Discover why keeping a nature journal can help you slow down, feel more connected to nature, and build a calm, meaningful creative practice.
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Find my stockists for all my earlier artworks here...
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