Pond Nature Study

Nature Study at the Pond | Our Journey Westward

What could we possibly find during one simple walk around a small pond?  Enough to keep us busy for over an hour!

My big kids were busy with other commitments not too long ago, so hubby and I set off on a nature walk with our 6 year old, Eli.  I love taking nature walks with little people!  They are so inquisitive and find wonder in everything.

We didn’t have a specific purpose in mind for this nature walk, except to visit the pond.  We let Eli lead the way and made more nature discoveries because of it!  So, here’s a glimpse into a child-led pond habitat nature walk.

Pond Nature Study

Pond Water Features | Our Journey Westward

Water Features

Eli had tons of fun simply learning about the water – its depth, movements and features.

Pond Plant Nature Study | Our Journey Westward

Pond Plants

In the pond and around the pond, we found all sorts of plant life.  Of course, the coolest were plants that were ooey and gooey.

Animals at the Pond |Our Journey Westward

Animal Signs

The pond is a great place to find animal prints!  On this day, we found prints from racoons, turkeys and herons.  There must have been a million snails, too.

Pond Bones and Fossils | Our Journey Westward

Fossils and Bones

Central KY is a treasure box of rocks with fossils!  And, on our farm, there is no shortage of animal bones to find either.

Pond Fun | Our Journey Westward

Learning About the World

Nature study should be fun!  Eli learned so much about the way God’s world works by having fun and jumping from one thing to another (literally.)

Think about the topics he discovered and we talked about in this one nature walk to the pond:

  • water movement
  • ponds vs. creeks
  • depth and measurement
  • erosion
  • pond plants
  • plants growing around the pond
  • insects
  • mollusks
  • fish
  • amphibians
  • mammals
  • reptiles
  • animal feet
  • mud vs. dirt
  • rocks
  • fossils
  • bridges
  • probably more

Nothing overly academic.  Gentle discussions that fed his inquisitive mind have made lasting learning connections in his mind.  Family time, fun and learning all in one!

Ideas for Pond Nature Study

NaturExplorers Peaceful Ponds

The NaturExplorer series (that I write) gives you more ideas for nature walks and follow-up activities than you can imagine!  Peaceful Ponds is one of my top-sellers.

Freebie

From Peaceful Ponds, I have shared a simple pond nature walk idea with you in this post:  Nature Study Series – Ponds. Enjoy!!

Where will you explore creation today?

6 Comments

  1. Love this! We have a houseful of pond lovers =) If the weather is decent tomorrow my 9 y.o. will be leading his 4H group on a pond nature walk!

  2. Very nice! We just moved and our new place has a pond. The children have really been enjoying exploring it and learning about the wildlife there. And so have I. 🙂

  3. Pingback: Wednesday Web Walk
  4. Peaceful Ponds is one of our favorite studies. We have gone back to that study time and time again for great pond study ideas. Ponds are so full of life and complex systems. I have often thought we could do a entire semester study right there!

  5. Thank you, Marci! I agree – we could study ponds almost every walk and never get tired of it. 🙂

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