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When exploring outdoors children ask never-ending questions about everything they observe around. Nature and the environment that surrounds kids fascinate and draw them to discover with hands-on learning. Don’t you wish you had a practical guide that would help you navigate your outdoor adventures? Well, there are plenty to choose from this list of nature books for children. I have to warn you, it is really difficult to pick just one. Illustrations and content are simply outstanding. I am about to restock our library with some of these amazing nature books.

1. The Kids’ Nature Book: 365 Indoor/Outdoor Activities and Experiences by Susan Milord Amazon
Book packed with activity-based learning!
2. The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms by Clare Walker Leslie Amazon
This interactive workbook is filled with creative activities for curious naturalists ages 8 to 13. Kids learn how to experience nature with all five senses, whether they live in the countryside, a major city, or somewhere in between.
3. Fun With Nature: Take Along Guide by Mel Boring Amazon
This book encourages kids to discover the incredible world in their backyards.
4. Nature Walk Journal by Potter Style Amazon
This book is perfect for homeschooling families. Here you will find nature notation tips, seasonal suggestions, leaf identification, plant identification, animal track information and more.
5. Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws Amazon
This book presents step-by-step illustrations, dozens of exercises lead the hand and mind through creating accurate reproductions of plants and animals as well as landscapes, skies, and more.
6. Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie Amazon
This book is all about reconnecting with nature through sketching and writing with these simple methods for capturing the living beauty of each season.
7. The Curious Nature Guide: Explore the Natural Wonders All Around You by Clare Walker Leslie Amazon
Filled with stunning photography as well as original illustrations, this guide will inspire you to use all of your senses to notice the colors, sounds, smells, and textures of the trees, plants, animals, birds, insects, clouds, and other features that can be seen right outside your home, no matter where you live.
8. Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Book: 448 Great Things to Do in Nature Before You Grow Up by Globe Pequot Press Amazon
This book is a year-round how-to activity guidebook for getting kids outdoors and exploring nature, be it catching fireflies in the cool summer evenings; making birdfeeders in the fall from peanut butter, pine cones, and seed; building a snowman in 3 feet of fresh winter snow; or playing duck, duck, goose with friends in a meadow on a warm spring day.
9. I Love Dirt!: 52 Activities to Help You and Your Kids Discover the Wonders of Nature by Jennifer Ward Amazon
It presents very basic 52 open-ended activities to help you engage your child in the outdoors. No matter what your location—from a small patch of green in the city to the wide-open meadows of the country—each activity is meant to promote exploration, stimulate imagination, and heighten a child’s sense of wonder.
10. The Outdoor Classroom in Practice, Ages 3-7: A month-by-month guide to forest school provision by Karen Constable Amazon
Here you will find over 100 full-colour photographs to illustrate the practice diary entries that reflect how the planning was delivered, what changes were made and how aspects of learning were recorded and assessed examples of practice as well as comprehensive resource lists and safety guidelines links to indoor play and opportunities at home.

11. Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World by Julia Rothman Amazon
See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world.
12. Mother Nature Is Awesome (From Volcanoes To Earthquakes) by Speedy Publishing
Amazon
This book will greatly help them to understand that there is much to see in the precious life of theirs.
13. The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs: Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water, Track Animals and Other Forgotten Skills by Tristan Gooley Amazon
With his first book, The Natural Navigator, he started a renaissance in the rare art of reading nature’s clues.
14. Nature’s Day: Discover the World of Wonder on Your Doorstep by Kay Maguire
Amazon
This first book of nature helps young readers to discover the world of wildlife on their doorstep.
15. Caring for Nature (Help the Environment) by Charlotte Guillain Amazon
This series introduces very young children to the concept of caring for the environment in an attractive and accessible way. Based on children’s real-life experiences, the books focus on things children can do to help the environment and keep the world around us clean. In this book, children learn what nature is, what lives in nature, and ways they can care for nature.
16. Pocketful of Pinecones: Nature Study With the Gentle Art of Learning : A Story for Mother Culture by Karen Andreola Amazon
Pocketful of Pinecones is a teacher’s guide the nature study cleverly disguised as a heartwarming story written in the form of a mother s diary.
17. Forest Has a Song: Poems by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater Amazon
VanDerwater lets the denizens of the forest speak for themselves in twenty-six lighthearted, easy-to-read poems.
18.Why Should I Protect Nature? by Jen Green Amazon
Books present brief, entertaining stories that answer children’s questions and feature amusing color illustrations on every page.
19. Usborne Illustrated Book of Nature by Phillip Clarke Amazon
Young children can learn about the secret life of birds, the wonderful world of trees and flowers, and the wildlife living on the seashore and in your own garden.
20.The Usborne Complete First Book of Nature by R. Kidman-Cox Amazon

21. All the Wild Wonders: Poems of Our Earth Amazon
In this celebration of our Earth, distinguished anthologist Wendy Cooling has chosen poems to make children look, think, and ask questions.
22. Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You by Karin Ireland Amazon
With a light touch especially suited for children, Karin Ireland explores the lessons of nature and finds their relevance to all of us.
23. The Kid’s Guide to Exploring Nature by Brooklyn Botanic Garden Educators Amazon
This guide will inspire kids to look closely at the world around them! It teaches children how to observe environments as a naturalist does and leads them on 24 adventures that reveal the complex ecosystems of plants and animals in the woods, at the beach, and in a city park.
24.N is for Nature: An Environmental Alphabet Book by Tim Magner Amazon
This book contains simple prose and creative images shaped to form each letter, early readers discover the magic of the alphabet.
25. Nature Crafts for Kids: 50 Fantastic Things to Make With Mother Nature’s Help by Gwen Diehn Amazon
Each project shows–in full-color photos–how to make something that’s useful or attractive or just plain interesting, while the fascinating instructions will help kids see, feel, and understand the natural world around them.
26. Nature in a Nutshell for Kids: Over 100 Activities You Can Do in Ten Minutes or Less by Jean Potter Amazon
Contains 100+ fast and easy activities running the gamut from how animals and plants grow to the formation of mountains and rivers.
27. Wonders of Nature by Jane Werner Watson Amazon
This book contains realistic artwork is accompanied by gentle text that brings an awe of nature to the youngest readers.
28. Nature is Awesome: Fun Facts and Pictures for Kids by Speedy Publishing Amazon
A book about nature sparks a child’s imagination by introducing a child to the unique. Children are interested in things like where do certain animal come from and where does the rain come from.
29. The Everything Kids’ Nature Book: Create Clouds, Make Waves, Defy Gravity and Much More! by Kathiann M. Kowalski Amazon
This book will inspire run with the antelope across the American plains and learn about the food chain.
Climb with a monkey to the highest tree in the rainforest and discover how photosynthesis keeps leaves green.
30. National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry: More than 200 Poems With Photographs That Float, Zoom, and Bloom! by J. Patrick Lewis Amazon
This is a poetic celebration of the natural world in this stellar collection of nature poems. From trickling streams to deafening thrunderstorms to soaring mountains, discover majestic photography perfectly paired with contemporary, classics, and never-before-published works.
31. Play The Forest School Way: Woodland Games and Crafts for Adventurous Kids By Peter Houghton Amazon
Forest School is founded on a philosophy of nature-based play and learning that encourages children to develop confidence and self-esteem. This book will get your kids outside, making and building in the real world (instead of on a computer screen!).
I hope you found great resources for your inspiration to venture outdoors and connect with the natural world!

Exploring Nature - Children's Books and Learning Resources
Nature Journal Children's Activity Book with Prompts I see I wonder I create
Visual Storytelling Prompts with Nature | Drawing, Creative Writing
Animals of the Seven Continents - Nomenclature and Information Cards
Nature Curriculum in Cards Ever Growing Bundle
Insects and Crawling Creatures Preschool Pack
Biomes of the World - Nature Curriculum in Cards - Montessori
Major Biomes of the World is a set of 3-part cards, information posters, and worksheets for students to learn about the major biomes of the world. It includes a map, 3-part card activities, descriptions, follow-up coloring, handwriting, and sorting activities.
Three Types of Rocks Sort: Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic
Three-part cards and sorting activity with three major groups of rocks – Igneous, Sedimentary, Metamorphic. Rocks are often a great point of interest for lower elementary students. It is easily translated into a hands-on experience for children who enjoy looking up various types of rocks and learning their origin and proper name pronunciation.
Types of Clouds Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Types of Clouds – 3-part card activity and handwriting sheets.
Seasons in Nature Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Seasons in Nature Printable contains:
4 work mats for sorting
24 picture cards for sorting (6 for each of the seasons)
Sun and Earth rotation poster to place in the middle
British and American versions
Natural Wonders of the Continents Montessori Sorting Cards
Montessori Nature Printable with 49 sorting cards featuring real photos of the wonders of nature.
Fascinating and most incredible places on earth categorized by location – the seven continents.
2D Shapes in Nature Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards - Montessori
2D Shapes in Nature matching activity and handwriting sheets.
Montessori Printable for Preschool Children Colours in Nature
Montessori-inspired printable for preschool children to learn visual discrimination of the colors using gorgeous photographs of nature. Photographs of the natural world – 11 different colors;
Montessori Nature Printables
Patterns in Nature cards for sorting out 10 different categories of patterns found in nature: clouds, water, plants, animals, reflections, landscapes, corals, ice and snow, rocks, and trees.
Birds and Their Eggs Three-Part Nomenclature Cards
The printable features photos of birds and eggs. Each card set comes with a photo of a bird + a label, a label card, and a photo card of eggs including a picture of the bird that laid them. This makes it easier for children to connect the right picture of eggs to the right bird without assistance.
Plant Life Cycle - Montessori Nature Printables
This printable is perfect to include in your Spring and Summer unit and present to the students before they start planting seeds in the garden.
Honey Bee Life Cycle - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Two sets of Honey Bee Life Cycle activities with student worksheets and Honey Bee 3-part Cards
Nature Themed Phonics - Nature Curriculum in Cards Series
The Deciduous Forest Biome - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Five Classes of Vertebrates Sorting Cards - Nature Curriculum in Cards
Leaf Shapes Printable - Nature Curriculum in Cards

Nature's Treasures
From a fragile and beautiful bird egg to a glittering meteorite from space, discover more than 100 intriguing natural objects with fascinating tales to tell in this beautifully illustrated wildlife book for children.
This unique nature reference book has a fun, new approach that teaches children about nature through objects. It includes:
• More than 100 amazing objects that you can find in nature made by geological processes, or by plants and animals.
• Four chapters: Animals; Plants, Fungi and Algae; Minerals and Rocks; and Made by Nature.
• Illustrated diagrams that support understanding.
• Large, detailed photographs of truly fascinating objects.
• Eye-catching jacket finishes: gold foil, holographic foil and metallic gold edges.

Kids Nature Journal Drawing Sketchbook
NATURE JOURNAL: Exploring nature with children through fun journaling. These activity books were created by parents who found a way to guide kids to discover and observe the outdoors with simple drawing and sketching. When given a purpose and excitement for finding plants, animals, and landmarks, your kids will enjoy learning to draw on this illustrative workbook in their own backyard.

Backpack Explorer: On the Nature Trail: What Will You Find?
Jump-start curiosity with this take-along field guide for children ages 4 to 8. From worms, birds, and spiders to trees, flowers, and clouds, young explorers learn what to look and listen for wherever they are — whether in a nature preserve, an urban park, or a suburban backyard. Seek-and-find lists, on-the-trail art projects, and discovery games get kids engaged in hands-on learning about nature, and a real pull-out magnifying glass helps them get a close-up glimpse of leaf veins, seed pods, and tiny insects. Filled with activities, checklists, and stickers, this interactive nature guide belongs in every kid’s backpack.

Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World
See the world in a whole new way! Acclaimed illustrator Julia Rothman combines art and science in this exciting and educational guide to the structure, function, and personality of the natural world. Explore the anatomy of a jellyfish, the inside of a volcano, monarch butterfly migration, how sunsets work, and much more. Rothman’s whimsical illustrations are paired with interactive activities that encourage curiosity and inspire you to look more closely at the world all around you.

My First Nature Book: All About the Natural World for Kids
From the smallest speck of sand to the stars that blanket the sky, nature is full of incredible things to explore. Inspire little ones to learn about the world they live in with this colorful and imaginative choice in nature books for kids. It’s packed with fascinating info and full-page photos that teach children about the weather, seasons, plants, animals, and more.

Awesome Outdoor Science Experiments for Kids
Kids are full of big questions like “What makes plants grow?” or “Why does the moon change shape in the sky?”. Awesome Outdoor Experiments for Kids can help them find the answers! It’s a treasure trove of outdoor adventures, with more than 50 fun experiments that show kids science in action as they play outside.

National Geographic Book of Nature Poetry
When words in verse are paired with the awesomeness of nature, something magical happens! Beloved former U.S. Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis curates an exuberant poetic celebration of the natural world in this stellar collection of nature poems. From trickling streams to deafening thrunderstorms to soaring mountains, discover majestic photography perfectly paired with contemporary (such as Billy Collins), classics (such as Robert Frost), and never-before-published works.

Adventure Girls!: Crafts and Activities for Curious, Creative, Courageous Girls
Girls can do anything, and Adventure Girls! proves it! Packed with exciting activities and crafts for girls (ages 6 to 12), this book inspires young adventurers to be curious, innovative, and bold. From stargazing and animal tracking to making a pinhole camera and building a shadow theater, Adventure Girls! is not one of your typical craft books.

The Backyard Bug Book for Kids
Crawl into the wonderful world of bugs—a fun photographic adventure for kids ages 3 to 5
Take your child on an educational adventure bursting with the kinds of colorful photographs you need in bug books for kids.
The Backyard Bug Book for Kids has everything you’d want in bug books for kids: a story, pictures, and activities combined. Introduce your little one to the types of bugs they’re likely to see during their day, then help them remember what they’ve learned with fun, on-the-page challenges.

Curious Kids Nature Guide: Explore the Amazing Outdoors of the Pacific Northwest
Filled with fun facts and 100 full-color, beautiful, and scientifically accurate illustrations, this nature guide will inspire kids to go outdoors and discover the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest.
Did you know that baby raccoons are smaller than a bar of soap? Or that salmon smell using little pits in the front of their eyes? Curious Kids Nature Guide is filled with full-color illustrations and fun facts about the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest, encouraging kids to discover and explore nature in their own backyards and beyond.

The Organic Artist for Kids: A DIY Guide to Making Your Own Eco-Friendly Art Supplies from Nature
Immersed in the natural world, The Organic Artist for Kids inspires creativity by connecting kids and their adults to our wilderness roots.
In addition to offering a wide variety of fun, collaborative projects using nature as a source for art supplies and inspiration, this book also introduces the concepts of awareness and perception that are fundamental to the creative process.

Outdoor Kids in an Inside World
In the era of screens and devices, the average American spends 90 percent of their time indoors, and children are no exception. Not only does this phenomenon have consequences for kids’ physical and mental health, it jeopardizes their ability to understand and engage with anything beyond the built environment.

Exploring Nature Journal for Kids
Wild creatures, cloud formations, plant habitats, and more―nature is full of wonders to behold and explore! In this nature journal, young naturalists will get all of the guidance they need to study and record their experiences of the natural world.

The Nature Connection: An Outdoor Workbook for Kids, Families, and Classrooms
Clare Walker Leslie shows kids how to experience nature with all five senses, whether they live in the countryside, a major city, or somewhere in between. Guiding children through inspiring activities like sketching wildlife, observing constellations, collecting leaves, keeping a weather journal, and watching bird migrations, The Nature Connection encourages kids to engage with the world outside and promotes a lifelong love of nature.

50 Things To See With A Telescope - Kids: A Constellation Focused Approach
From the author of the bestselling book 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope, this colorful edition explores the constellations with young readers, guiding them to dozens of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. Every page features a helpful “telescope view”, showing exactly how objects appear through a small telescope or binoculars.

Nature Anatomy Activities for Kids: Fun, Hands-On Learning
Get ready to explore the sky above, the ground below, and all the plants and creatures in between! Made just for kids, this nature anatomy book teaches you about the incredible forces and living things that exist in nature.

Nature All Around: Plants
Balancing child-friendly facts with colorful illustrations, this perfect introduction to plants is sure to inspire the budding naturalist in every child. From crowded cities to open prairies, deserts to wetlands, plants grow everywhere!
This comprehensive introduction will open children's eyes to the plants that surround them every day and how important they are to life on our planet. It covers the basics of plants, such as their parts, life cycles and growing zones.

The Tree Book for Kids and Their Grown-Ups
The birds, the bees, the flowers and the…TREES! How do trees grow? Why do leaves change? What kind of tree is that? The acclaimed Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s guide answers all kids’ (and their parents’) tree-related questions in an easy-to-understand way. It features 33 different trees that grow in North America, from rural Georgia to the streets of New York City to the California suburbs.

Survivor Kid: A Practical Guide to Wilderness Survival
Anyone can get lost while camping or on a hike and Survivor Kid teaches young adventurers the survival skills they need if they ever find themselves lost or in a dangerous situation in the wild. Written by a search and rescue professional and lifelong camper, it’s filled with safe and practical advice on building shelters and fires, signaling for help, finding water and food, dealing with dangerous animals, learning how to navigate, and avoiding injuries in the wilderness.

Mrs. Peanuckle's Hiking Alphabet
With playful text, bright illustrations, and sturdy pages, Mrs. Peanuckle's alphabet books will engage toddlers, and take them on an alphabet adventure through the natural world!
Explore the wondrous world of hiking while learning the ABCs with Mrs. Peanuckle!
Mrs. Peanuckle takes on the outdoors and shares all her favorite animals, plants, and more in her latest tour of the ABCs!
Thank you very much for including my FOREST HAS A SONG, illustrated by Robbin Gourley, on your marvelous list! I am so excited to check out many of these other books, some of which I already know and love. Happy National Poetry Month and happy hiking… xo
What an honour and wonderful surprise to find your comment, Amy! I could not miss your gorgeous book! I am looking forward to reading it with my children, we LOVE poems. The illustrations are truly beautiful!
Wow! What an amazing list! Can't wait to see which ones our local library has.
Good luck, I am sure you will find great treasures! I hope you have fun exploring natural world out there!
What a wonderful list! Thank you.