Fall is a fantastic time of year for nature study- the leaves are changing, the weather is shifting, and the animals are getting prepared for the winter cold. There are just so many fascinating things going on in the natural world this time of year. Below are 19 fall themed nature study ideas:
Fall Nature Study Activities
Go Bird Watching and Learn About Bird Migration
Many birds migrate in the fall, which gives us the opportunity to observe them as they pass by on their way south. Wildlife refuges, wetlands, rivers, lakes, parks, and even your own backyard are all excellent places to bird watch.
Plant a Fall Garden
Carrots, green onions, peas, lettuces, and other green leafy vegetables all tend do well in cooler fall weather.
Night Sky Gazing
The days getting shorter in fall gives us more dark hours before bed to get outside and enjoy the night sky! Watch the moon as it moves through it's phases, learn to find prominent constellations, or just kick back and enjoy the view!
If you want help finding celestial objects like planets and constellations, check out the SkyView app!
Collect and Compare Fall Leaves
Take a nature walk around your neighborhood and collect as many different types of leaves as you can find. When you get home help your child sort and compare them.
How many different colors did you find? What shapes? Which is the biggest? Smallest?
Sketch or Paint Fall Leaves
Find a few beautiful leaves to try sketching or painting in your nature journal.
Photograph and Learn to Identify Fungi
The cooler, damper weather and the shorter days provide the perfect environment for mushrooms and other fungi to grow. Grab a camera and photograph all the ones you see. Then you can try to identify them using a mushroom guide or an online database.
Make a Rain Gauge and Record Rainfall Totals
You can make a simple rain gauge with a plastic bottle, a permanent maker, and a ruler. I have full instructions in this post: Make a Simple Home Weather Station.
Sketch or Paint Fall Wildflowers
Most people think of springtime when they think about wildflowers, but there are some beautiful fall wildflowers too. Some we see around here include sunflowers, asters, goldenrod, ruellia, blue sage, and tievine.
Collect Pinecones and Learn to Identify Them
If you live in an area with pine trees, collect some pinecones of different species and take notes about the trees you think they come from. Later at home use a guidebook or an online database to help you identify what species they are. The iNaturalist app or Google Lens would be a good place to start.
Collect and Compare Different Types of Acorns
There are around 160 species of oak trees in North America. Do a little research and get familiar with the most common species in your area. Then go hunting for acorns and see if you can figure out what type of oak tree they came from.
Photograph Spiderwebs
Photographing spiderwebs makes the perfect Halloween nature study activity!
Forage For Fall Edibles
There are many wild edibles that can be found in fall including wild grapes, beautyberries, crabapples, pecans, walnuts, rosehips, and juniper berries. Just be sure to thoroughly do your research so you can be positive about your ID. Never eat something if you are not one hundred percent sure what it is and that it's edible.
Learn About Pumpkin Plants
Pick pumpkins at a pumpkin patch and talk about the parts of a pumpkin plant and how they grow. Grab a free pumpkin plant anatomy diagram and worksheet here.
If you carve pumpkins, discuss the parts of the pumpkin as you carve them (stem, skin, pulp, seeds, fibrous strands).
Learn About Cloud Types
Research about different types of clouds, then try to identify cloud types when you see them.
Hunt for Fall Insects and Research Them
Some insects hatch in the fall or are more prevalent in the fall like woolly bear caterpillars, ladybugs, monarch butterflies, common buckeye butterflies, eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies, and owlet moths. See what kinds of insects you can spot around your home and try to identify them.
Take a Fall Scavenger Hunt
Grab a free printable one here!
Apple Anatomy
Go apple picking or buy a few varieties of apples from the store for your kids to sample. Discuss which variety they like best.
While enjoying your apples Take note of the different parts (stem, skin, flesh, core, seed).
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| I found this fun apple tasting printable on Teachers Pay Teachers. The link is below under "Fall Nature Study Resources". |
Go Squirrel Watching
Squirrels are so fun to watch, especially in the fall when they're busy preparing for winter. Find a squirrel to observe and discuss what you see.
Use this as a jumping off point to research about how different animals prepare for winter.
Look For Animal Tracks and Try to ID Them
Keep your eyes out for animal tracks in your yard or on your outdoor adventures, then photograph and try to ID them.
This site has some great information and tips: Animal Track Identification Guide. There's also an app for helping ID animal tracks called iTrack Wildlife.
Fall Nature Study Resources
Videos:
-Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall (video from SciShow Kids)
-What Makes Leaves Change Color? What Makes Leaves Fall? (video from FreeSchool)
Web Pages:
-Types of Acorns Identification Guide (The Leafy Place)
-Types of Pincones Identification Guide (The Leafy Place)
-Learning About Birds- Flight and Migration
-Fascinating Ways Animals Prepare for Winter (National Geographic Kids)
Books:
-Because of an Acorn by Lola M Schafer and Adam Schafer
-Mushroom Rain by Laura K Zimmermann
Free Printables:
-Printable Pumpkin Anatomy Freebie
-Printable Apple Tasting and Anatomy Freebie
I love these suggestions for getting kids outside! Nature schooling for the win.
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