Discover the Best Nature Curriculum Choices for Your Homeschool

Are you searching for a nature curriculum to bring the beauty and wonder of nature into your homeschool? 

A nature-based homeschool curriculum blends academic learning with outdoor activities, making learning engaging and fostering children’s love of the outdoors. Hands-on experiences nurture a deep connection to the natural world. From studying the life cycles of plants and animals to exploring the wonders of the ecosystem, a nature curriculum offers endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. 

In this article, I discuss nature CURRICULUMS. These recommendations cater to a variety of homeschooling styles, and will have pre-planned lesson plans for parents. Most of them will take several weeks or an entire school year to complete. If you are not looking for a complete curriculum, there are so many wonderful options out there for nature unit studies. Etsy has some great shops for homeschool unit studies. Or check out my homeschool gardening resources list, which includes other resources for learning about nature with children.

Due to my background as a scientist, I recommend secular products, but I do not rule out a resource entirely just because it has Christian undertones. I will specify this in the reviews. We are a secular homeschooling family, and I find it easy enough to skip over the parts that do not apply to us. If you would like, you can browse my list of the best homeschool secular science curriculum options.

Now let’s start by discussing what a nature curriculum is and why you should use one in your homeschool.

What is a Nature Curriculum and Why Should You Use One in Your Homeschool?

A nature based homeschool curriculum provides the opportunity to take learning outside. Sometimes it can be hard to get kids to go outside in the age of technology, especially as children get older. Using a curriculum that encourages outdoor projects and activities will motivate everyone to get outside and enjoy the natural world. 

In addition to curriculum, you could add a nature-themed subscription box from this list of the best homeschool subscription box options. This provides hands-on learning opportunities, which keeps children engaged and excited about learning.

According to an article on Child Mind Institute, spending time outdoors helps promote children’s creativity, builds confidence, teaches responsibility, reduces stress, and provides various forms of stimulation. Being outside benefits adults too, so it benefits the whole family!

How I Made My Choices for the Best Nature-Based Homeschool Curriculum

I curated this list to share options that are easy to implement, have lessons planned out, and take less time to plan for parents. Most of my recommendations will be secular, but I never rule out a resource just because it has Christian undertones. In my mind, it is easy to skip over those parts if you are a secular homeschooling family like us.

I am a homeschool mom with ADHD, so I get overwhelmed by the amount of curriculum choices out there. For the sake of simplicity, I will list resources, book recommendations, and any other recommendations in a separate article to keep things organized. Planning a nature curriculum on your own can be overwhelming, so following a preset curriculum or lesson plan might be beneficial. 

Remember, you don’t have to follow the schedule exactly. Homeschooling gives you the freedom to follow your children’s curiosity and go down rabbit holes as they come up.

For each curriculum, I list the price, recommended age range, style, what it covers, how the purchased material is delivered, how it is taught, and the pros and cons.

Now let’s get started by discussing the FREE options.

FREE Nature Curriculum for Homeschooling

1. The World Wildlife Fund

PRICE: Free

AGE RANGE: Kindergarten through 12th Grade

STYLE: Online, FREE, pre-planned interactive lessons

WHAT IT COVERS: The World Wildlife Fund offers learning modules ranging from ecosystems, habitats, wildlife, and human impact topics such as food waste, sustainability, and biodiversity.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: Free downloads on the website that can be printed at home or used on a tablet or computer.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: Each topic is divided into 4 parts. The first part, the Warm Up, includes an article, video, or PowerPoint presentation to introduce the topic.  Next comes Tech Time which includes videos, podcasts, or apps relevant to the topic being studied. After that is the Activities section, which ranges from STEM activities, writing exercises, informational videos, and more. Lastly, there is an assessment section. This section includes fun and engaging review exercises for students like puzzles and games to assess learning. 

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Are the World Wildlife Fund’s Teaching Resources Right for You?

The World Wildlife Fund provides fun and engaging unit studies to add to your homeschool plan. The Wildlife modules would be great for animal lovers. The human impact modules inform children about environmental issues and motivate children and teens to be advocates for the environment. This FREE resource is worth a try!

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2. Kids Gardening Website

PRICE: Free

AGE RANGE: Kindergarten through 12th Grade

STYLE: Online, FREE, pre-planned lessons, nature-based, secular

WHAT IT COVERS: Children will learn through hands-on garden projects and learning modules. Countless gardening topics are covered and there is a huge library of gardening activities and projects to choose from.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: Kids Gardening lesson plans can be downloaded for free and printed at home or used on a tablet or computer. 

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: The lesson plans include objectives, a materials list, background information, guidance for activities, additional resources, and lists of the standards covered. There is also a separate activities section on their website. You can choose to do activities instead of lesson plans or a combination of both.

Is Kids Gardening the Right Nature Curriculum for You?

The Kids Gardening website offers so many fun and engaging projects and lessons that get kids outside so they can reap the benefits of gardening. Their lesson plans cover things like insects, food waste, biodiversity, hydroponics, and food preservation, to name a few. Kids Gardening lesson plans and activities would make a great addition to any homeschool, and they offer material to use throughout every season, for FREE! Plus gardening could be a great new hobby to try out.

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Elementary Age Nature Curriculum Options

3. Blossom and Root

PRICE: $6 – $162, depending on the options chosen

AGE RANGE: Kindergarten to 5th grade, with an option for Early Years which covers preschool children between the ages of 2-5. She is also working on a 6th grade curriculum to be released at a later date.

STYLE: Literature-based, nature-inspired, Eclectic, Relaxed, Secular

WHAT IT COVERS: Nature Study, Science, STEM, Art, Language Arts, US History

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: You will receive PDF files which include a 36-week parent guide for lessons, a student notebook, a clickable links list, scavenger hunts, and other helpful resources. You can print the material at home, or have a third party print it and mail it to you.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: The Elementary levels include a full year of literature-based language arts, nature studies, art studies, and hands-on projects. The curriculum is adaptable and designed to be taught to children of multiple ages so it can be used with the whole family if you have children close in age. 

There are also Book Seeds, which are unit studies that can be purchased individually. Each Book Seed is inspired by a specific children’s book. Each issue includes STEM activities, nature studies, art projects, recipes, optional copywork, and language arts components. 

Is Blossom and Root the Right Nature Curriculum for You?

Blossom and Root was started by Kristina, a homeschooling mother of two and former kindergarten teacher. Her approach is influenced by Charlotte Mason’s teachings, the Waldorf philosophy, and her love of nature. On her website, Blossom and Root is described as a flexible, creative, hands-on, secular curriculum that focuses on nature, literature, STEM, and art. One unique component is the nature study called A Garden of My Own, which is part of the fourth grade curriculum but can also be bought individually. This would be a great way to get the kids outside. If you grow vegetables, children can help with meal planning to use up their harvest in a way that the whole family can enjoy.

The best feature of Blossom and Root is its flexibility. Families can freely explore topics as deeply as they want and choose to skip certain activities or books they don’t like. There are suggestions for different grade levels, making it a great choice for families with children close in age because you can teach everyone together. Blossom and Root makes it easy to create a truly unique educational experience for your child. All of Blossom and Root’s curriculum integrates seamlessly with a relaxed homeschooling style and fits well with unschooling families because it is easy to adapt to any age or learning style.

We use Blossom and Root in our homeschool and love it. The activities are so fun, and the book recommendations are great too. I highly recommend this curriculum!

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4. Science Through Nature

PRICE: $47

AGE RANGE: Elementary

STYLE: Open-and-go, Charlotte Mason Inspired, Secular

WHAT IT COVERS: Science and Nature Study

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: You will receive downloadable PDF files that you can print at home or have printed by a third-party service.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: Science Through Nature has two curriculums, and they pair together nicely. A Year of Discovery is a year long, hands-on curriculum that consists of 12 monthly quests designed to connect children with nature and introduce important scientific concepts. These quests can be completed in any order you choose. There are also sit-down lessons that consist of living books, discussion, and videos.

Be a Naturalist is the other option. This is a curriculum designed to combine science and nature study. The program follows the story of two scientists who work on a nature preserve. The only additional resources you will need are the nature guides, which can easily be obtained from your local library.

Is Science Through Nature the Right Nature Curriculum for You?

Science Through Nature is an all-in-one science curriculum that nurtures a love for the natural world that will last a lifetime. With this curriculum, your child has the chance to personally experience science and nature. The website claims that by using their curriculum, you will be laying a solid foundation of scientific concepts that will be needed for middle school and beyond.

This curriculum would be a great choice if you are looking for opportunities to get outside more often. It is also a good choice for families who have children close in age. You can download free samples on their website to see if it would be a good fit for your family!

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Mixed Age Nature Curriculum Options

5. Exploring Nature With Children

PRICE: $19

AGE RANGE: Elementary age, but could easily be extended to Middle School

STYLE: Charlotte Mason, nature-based, literature based, family style, some Christian undertones

WHAT IT COVERS: Exploring nature with Children is a year long curriculum with 48 weeks of themed and guided nature studies. The material can be easily adapted to multiple age ranges to cater to families with children close in age.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: You will receive a PDF once you purchase the material. You can print this at home or have a third party print it for you and mail it to you. 

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: Each month has a theme, and the month is broken down into week long studies. Each week’s study consists of a themed nature walk, references to the Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock, a themed book list, a poem, a piece of art, and extension activities for your child. Children are encouraged to observe, ask questions, and document their findings in a nature journal. The curriculum integrates multiple subjects, including science, art, literature, and writing, making it a comprehensive and holistic approach to learning. Parents are encouraged to guide their children through the process of discovery, using the curriculum as a framework for deeper exploration and connection with nature. The activities are simple yet meaningful, designed to foster a love of learning and a curiosity about the world.

Each week is centered around a different theme, such as birds, trees, flowers, or weather. The curriculum is designed to immerse children in the outdoors while also fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of nature. The format is user-friendly and flexible, allowing parents to print out materials as needed or follow along digitally. The curriculum is designed to be used throughout the year, with activities and lessons that align with the seasons, making it a year-round guide for nature study.

Is Exploring Nature with Children the Right Nature Curriculum For You?

Exploring Nature with Children from Raising Little Shoots is a Charlotte Mason style, year-long curriculum that can be taught to the whole family at once. It may take a little more work from the parent to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of middle school and high school-aged students.

You can’t beat the flexibility of this curriculum. It would fit nicely for families with a relaxed homeschooling or eclectic homeschool style. We have used Exploring Nature with Children in our homeschool, and we found it enjoyable and inspired me to get the kids outside more often. The book lists are really great. Even though it does have some Christian undertones at times, I didn’t find this to be an issue as a secular homeschooling family. We simply skipped over any content that didn’t apply to us. I highly recommend Exploring Nature with Children, and at such a reasonable price, it’s a no-brainer!

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6. 1000 Hours Outside

PRICE: From $24 for individual studies, and up to $400 for full-year print packages

AGE RANGE: The curriculum is adaptable for children between the ages of 4 and 15.

STYLE: Nature based, Hands on, family style, multi subject, secular with optional Christian devotional download avaiable

WHAT IT COVERS: The full package covers 40 weeks of study and will get you through a whole school year. The curriculum covers science, math, vocabulary, history, geography, writing, art, and reading. They suggest adding an additional math or writing program if you want your child to get more practice. But everything else is covered!

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: You can choose to have the printed material mailed to you straight from 1,000 Hours Outside, or you can opt for a PDF digital download that you can print at home, use on a tablet, or have printed by a third party printing company.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: The daily lessons are laid out for parents, hands-on activities, and suggested book lists. There are student pages that your child will fill out throughout the lessons. 

Is 1000 Hours Outside the Right Nature Curriculum for You?

The curriculum available from 1000 Hours Outside is called Add the Wonder Nature Curriculum. This new resource was created by Ginny Yurich, M. Ed. and founder of 1000 Hours outside, along with Julie Schiltz, homeschooling mother of 8 children. The curriculum is multi-subject and multi-age, so if you have children close in age, it would be a great choice for your family. 

The curriculum can be used by both Christian and secular homeschoolers. They offer an additional download of devotionals for Christian families that secular families can skip over.

You can download outside time trackers for FREE on their website. We have used these trackers in our homeschool, and we also use the app to track our time, but a simple timer would be fine to use as well. 1000 Hours Outside also has a podcast and they just started doing yearly trips together! This is a curriculum you can feel good about using, and it will motivate you to spend more time in the outdoors.

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7. Wild Learning

PRICE: $35

AGE RANGE: Kindergarten through 5th Grade

STYLE: nature based, relaxed, flexible, hands-on, outside activities, secular

WHAT IT COVERS: Math and Reading

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: You will receive a downloadable PDF file that you can print at home or have printed by a third party printing service.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: The curriculum includes a pacing guide and weekly plans for parents. Their website suggests completing 2-4 activities a week with your student, or 1-2 activities if you are using Wild Math as a supplement. For each mathematical concept covered, there are suggested books and games.

Is Wild Learning the Right Nature Curriculum for You?

Wild Learning was founded by Rachel Tidd, a former elementary special education teacher and homeschooling mother of 2 boys. Her passion for blending outdoor experiences with learning led her to create this wonderful curriculum.

We use Wild Math in our homeschool. I find that even though the curriculum is divided into grade levels, I can still teach all three of my children important math concepts simultaneously. The game recommendations are a great way to work math into your homeschooling days, and the book recommendations have all been enjoyable and packed full of information. If my children were younger, I would have used Wild Reading too. I highly suggest this curriculum!

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High School and ALL AGES Nature Curriculum Options

8. Harbor and Sprout

PRICE: $12 – $36

AGE RANGE: Kindergarten through 12th grade

STYLE: open-and-go, unit studies, nature-based, secular 

WHAT IT COVERS: Science, Nature Study, Language Arts, Writing, History, Geography, Art, Music, Math Concepts, and Life Skills

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: You can order the material in printed form and have it mailed to you, or you can receive a downloadable PDF file that you can print at home or have printed by a third party printing service.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: Each unit study is broken down into modules. Each module will have a brief overview and a list of subjects that will be addressed. The activities, reading, and notebooking can be completed to each child’s skill level, either independently or with help from you.

At the end of each module, there will be several notebooking and activity ideas for you to choose from. You do not have to do all of them. The curriculum is extremely flexible and customizable, and you could teach multiple children together if you have children close in age.

Is Harbor and Sprout the Right Nature Curriculum for You?

Harbor and Sprout is a nature-based curriculum that is designed to be open-and-go. There is a focus on notebooking and activities in every lesson. The Primary series is geared toward children ages 6-12, and the Secondary Series is geared toward children ages 12-18. There are various unit studies and morning basket options for younger children as well. This makes it a great nature curriculum for children close in age. Much of it can be taught family style or adjusted to different grade levels. It is a very relaxed and flexible curriculum.

After researching Harbor and Sprout for this article, I purchased the Primary Level Botany Unit Study and the accompanying Botany Student Workbook for our 2024-2025 homeschool year. I am excited about using this curriculum and I will update later on how we liked it!

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9. Real Science Odyssey Biology

PRICE: $67 – $90

AGE RANGE: 6th to 10th Grade (but they do also offer K-6 curriculum)

STYLE:  hands-on, pre-planned lessons, secular

WHAT IT COVERS: Science and labs. Math is covered throughout but is supplemental. Biology topics that are covered include cells, genetics, evolution, ecology, biological classification, and anatomy and physiology.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS DELIVERED: You can order the material in printed form and have it mailed to you, or you can receive a downloadable PDF file that you can print at home or have printed by a third party printing service.

HOW THE MATERIAL IS TAUGHT: The textbook contains 32 narrative lessons designed for students to read independently. Each lesson builds on the last. There are Labs found in the Workbook. The labs guide students in using the scientific method and discovering natural phenomenon for themselves through hands-on labs and research projects.. There are also optional microscope labs, quizzes, and unit assessments. The Teacher’s Guide contains the lesson plans, materials list, scheduling suggestions, and more.

Is Real Science Odyssey the Right Nature Curriculum for You?

Real Science Odyssey is a secular, year-long homeschool biology curriculum for middle and high school students. Students will be immersed in the biological and natural world. Overall, this is a wonderful choice for high school students. 

Pandia Press’s website states that this curriculum challenges middle and high school students to conduct independent research, think critically, and make connections between concepts on the page and the real world. This curriculum would be a great addition to any high school homeschool plan.

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Final Thoughts on Adding a Nature Curriculum to Your Homeschool

Adding a nature curriculum to your homeschool can provide a unique and enriching experience for children of all ages. By incorporating activities such as nature journaling and exploring the natural world together, you can create a truly engaging and unique educational journey. You could also use the resources listed in this article to create your own unique unit study catered to the interests of your child.

Nature based homeschool curriculum allows children to connect with the outdoors, develop a love for the environment, and learn valuable skills such as observation and inquiry. Whether you live in a rural or urban area, there are endless opportunities to incorporate nature into your homeschool routine. A nature curriculum would also. make a great idea for summer homeschooling!

Consider adding a nature curriculum to your homeschool plan and foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world in your children and yourself.

Remember to stay motivated and inspired along your homeschooling journey by reading homeschooling books and visiting homeschooling websites or communities. If you are interested in learning more about unschooling, browse this list of the best unschooling books to get started. Most importantly, remember why you started homeschooling in the first place.

Interested in more curriculum recommendations? Check out this post about the best homeschool secular history curriculum choices.

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Nature Curriculum FAQs

What is a nature curriculum?

A nature based homeschool curriculum blends academic learning with outdoor activities, making education truly engaging and nurturing a deep a love of the outdoors. These curriculums generally use hands-on experiences in nature to create exciting and enjoyable learning opportunities.

What are the best nature curriculum choices?

The World Wildlife Fund and Kids Gardening website offer FREE nature curriculums for homeschooling or to use in the classroom. Some other options include Exploring Nature with Children, Blossom and Root, 1,000 Hours Outside, Science Through Nature, Wild Learning, and Harbor and Sprout. Any one of these would be a great choice!

What is nature based homeschooling?

Nature schooling emphasizes hands-on learning out in the natural world as much as possible, and in all seasons. Nature curriculum focuses on fostering a love of the natural world. It also offers flexibility and creative learning experiences that will resonate with children. Nature curriculums encourage children to learn from the world around them. Homeschooling this way assists children in developing a love of the outdoors, which will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

How can a nature curriculum benefit YOUR homeschool?

Learning from the natural world can benefit children’s mental and physical health by getting them outdoors. As children are allowed to freely discover the world around them, they build confidence, and patience. Children also expand their creativity through free play. Learning is elevated with hands-on projects that children are invested in, making the learning experience more personal and memorable.