Nature Trays to Inspire Curiosity and Wonder

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Crafting Nature Trays: Inspiring Curiosity and Wonder

“Magic is always pushing and drawing and making things out of nothing. Everything is made out of magic, leaves and trees, flowers and birds, badgers and foxes and squirrels and people. So it must be all around us.”
— Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

It’s no secret that in today’s digital world, we often don’t stop to really pay attention to the beauty and wonder of the real, physical world. One thing I love about homeschooling is that we have the full power to say stop during busy seasons full of textbooks and online lessons. We can take a break, go out into the real world to observe, and just pause for a moment.

For adults as much as kids, this is vitally important. It hones observational and critical thinking skills, inspires gratitude, creativity, and curiosity, and—maybe most importantly—instills an appreciation for life and the beautiful world we live in.

Another wonderful thing about prioritizing these types of activities is that they’re simple and easy to incorporate into your day. One way to bring the wonder of nature into your homeschool is by creating a nature tray.

A nature tray is a Montessori-inspired activity, and it’s a play on the nature table. (We love Montessori and Charlotte Mason approaches for bringing the classroom outside!) Today, I’m going to share a little more about the beauty of the nature tray and how you can do this project with different ages at home to inspire curiosity and wonder.

The Purpose of Nature Exploration Trays

At their heart, nature trays are tools for mindful observation. The task is simple: collect a variety of objects in nature and arrange them on a tray to explore them further. However, this simple objective gives children (and adults) a mission, allowing them to: seek, observe, collect, and question. This process:

• Encourages close observation of textures, patterns, and forms in nature.
• Fosters scientific thinking through questioning, making comparisons, and forming hypotheses.
• Provides opportunities for storytelling, art, and creative expression inspired by natural objects.
• Allows your child to learn more about your local plant life and ecosystems.
• Supports a child’s innate curiosity and connection to the natural world.

Whether you’re homeschooling, working with a co-op, or just exploring as a family, nature trays are an adaptable and accessible activity for all ages. For the nature tray I’m sharing today, I went on a nature walk with my 9-year-old and 2-year-old. They both enjoyed it and got different things out of the experience!

How Montessori and Charlotte Mason Philosophies Tie In

As I mentioned, this concept comes from the Montessori approach, which emphasizes hands-on, sensory-based learning, where children actively engage with the world around them. Activities like assembling nature trays provide tactile and visual opportunities to explore textures, patterns, and natural details, fostering curiosity and independence.

This is also a very Charlotte Mason friendly activity. Like the Montessori method, Charlotte Mason’s philosophy encourages observing and appreciating the natural world, cultivating a sense of wonder and connection. Through intentional observation, children develop habits of attention and learn to see beauty in everyday life.

Of course, you don’t have to be strictly “Montessori” or “Charlotte Mason” to love this activity. Many homeschool parents (myself included) consider ourselves to be a little more eclectic. And an appreciation for nature is something that most homeschool families I know share!

How to Assemble a Nature Exploration Tray

What You’ll Need

Really, the only things you’ll need to get started with building your own nature tray are the following:

• Decent weather (for your nature walk!)
• A bag or basket to collect items
• A simple tray or small table on which to arrange the items. Simple is best so that it doesn’t detract from the beauty and interest of the natural items. For our “tray,” we used a wooden cutting board that often doubles as a charcuterie board in our home.
• (Optional) a magnifying glass, pencil and paper, nature journal,or art supplies

Getting into the Right Mindset for Your Nature Walk

Next up is the nature walk! Pick the best time of day for your family to go outside—either in your yard or to a local park—and collect some interesting items. This may sound too simple, but feels like such a huge adventure when you present it to your kids as a quest to fulfill.

Something about making a point of taking a nature walk, with a set task in mind, requires you to slow down and shift how you view the natural world. It turns us instantly into purposeful observers, using the same set of skills that both scientists and artists use.

Choosing the Items to Collect

So, what kinds of items should you collect? That’s totally up to you! Adjust it to your children’s ages and interests, or base it on something specific you are studying in your homeschool. If you just want to start by collecting items that stand out or interest them for whatever reason, that’s great too.

Our goal for this tray was to gather items that seem to accurately reflect our region of South Mississippi, during the winter season. Essentially, we wanted to create almost a microcosm of our area during the winter. For us, that included keeping an eye out for:

• Pine Straw and Pine Cones: We live in a rural area in what’s known as the “Pine Belt,” so we have plenty of these.
• Acorns or Oak Leaves: We also have many oak trees in our area. This gave us a chance to talk about the different functions of various parts of trees.
• Magnolia Leaves or Seed Pods: You can’t do a nature study in Mississippi without including the magnolia.
• Lichen-Covered Branches: These look so interesting and are a feature of wintry conditions in our area.
• Sweetgum Balls: The spiny seed pods from sweetgum trees are also common in the south and fascinating for kids. We’ve nicknamed them “evil spiky cherries.”

We have also recently studied the differences between plants categorized as monocots, dicots, or conifers, so that was something I kept in mind. I questioned my older daughter about it during the walk. While my 2-year-old wasn’t involved in the questioning part, he enjoyed exploring and finding things to put in the basket—and I feel that has value too! Making these sorts of activities part of your homeschool from an early age can definitely cultivate an appreciation for nature from the start.

Obviously, you may not live in Mississippi, and it may not be winter when you read this! Here are a few ideas to inspire your own nature tray:

• Collect items that reflect your current season and region (e.g., autumn leaves, spring blossoms, or summer grasses).
• Look for flowers native to your area or growing in your garden.
• Gather leaves of various shapes and sizes to compare and classify.
• Find and sort different types of seeds (e.g., pods, nuts, or berries).
• Search for unique rocks or minerals with interesting textures or colors.
• Focus on things that grow naturally in your area versus items that are cultivated or planted (like vegetables or ornamental plants).

Note: If you’re gathering somewhere other than your backyard, be mindful of what you’re allowed to pick/take. 

Here’s what we gathered from our yard and property. Our basket was full of treasures after about 20-30 minutes! 

Make an Arrangement

Once you’re done gathering. It’s time to arrange and make some more observations! It’s helpful to decide if there’s a way you’re going to arrange your nature tray before you start.

For younger children, you may want to arrange items in your nature tray by color or size! Older children could arrange them into different types of plants (for example–monocot, dicot, and conifer) or by what the item’s function in nature is. Does it protect? Is it a seed? Is this something you’d find near the water?

It can also be fun to simply arrange by artistic design, investigating each item as you go! We started out arranging and placing items based on whether they were a monocot, dicot, or conifer plant. However, as we ran out of room on the try, we started putting things wherever they looked nicest and writing that information, and anything else that was learned or observed, on a label next to the object(s).

It was fun to look at and learn more about each item. This would be the ideal time to pull out a magnifying glass, a nature journal, or do some research to learn more about things you can’t identify right away.

Even though my toddler wasn’t able to do things like discussing different plant parts and labeling, I did let him touch and play with different items, observing the different textures and even scents! When he is just a little bit older, I know he would enjoy categorizing items by color, size, or texture.

Other Ways to Extend Learning with Nature Trays

As you explore and create your own nature tray at home, here are a few more ideas to inspire you or extend the learning.

1. Observation Challenges
   Continue to encourage children to observe and describe what they notice by giving them some specific prompts. What patterns do they see? How do the textures feel? Can they guess where each item came from? What is each item’s function in nature?
2. Artistic Inspiration
   Use the materials as inspiration for drawing, painting, or even creating sculptures. It doesn’t have to be complex. You can easily create a leaf rubbing with a little printer paper and some crayons, or you can try painting with flowers or pinecones!
3. Storytelling Prompts
   Invite children to imagine stories about the objects. For example, you may look at a feather and offer the prompt, “What journey did this feather take to arrive here?” Then have them write the story or draw a picture that shows this story. This creates deeper connections to nature.
4. Scientific Exploration
   Encourage older children to group items by characteristics or research their origins. For example, they might explore why certain leaves have specific shapes or what minerals make up a unique rock. You could also have them document their favorite findings in a nature journal or do a science experiment with items they find outdoors!

Tips for Success

New to open-ended concepts like a nature tray? Don’t be scared. It’s all about slowing down and enjoying the process. It’s such a refreshing mental switch as homeschool parents to let nature (and your children) take the lead every once in a while. That’s the real beauty of this project. And if you find you absolutely love it, here are a few tips for making the nature tray a regular part of your homeschool!

• Rotate Materials Regularly: Keep trays fresh and engaging by swapping out items as the seasons change or new interests arise. It’s fascinating to see how a couple of months can change the local landscape!
• Follow the Child’s Lead: Let your child’s curiosity guide the exploration. If they’re particularly fascinated by one type of item, such as flowers or rocks, let that guide your curation.
• Incorporate Field Guides: Have a few simple field guides or nature books nearby to help identify objects and spark further learning. You may even help your child start his or her own “Field Guide” or nature journal!
• Create a Nature Collection: If space allows, consider designating a shelf or corner for displaying favorite finds. This creates a sense of ownership and pride in their discoveries.

Nature trays are more than just an activity—they’re an invitation to slow down, observe, and appreciate the beauty and complexity of the world around us. I am new to the nature tray concept, but I absolutely have fallen in love with it. My family has begun to love going outside with fresh eyes to observe the world with intention.

It’s funny, this perspective comes so naturally to children! I think it is something we adults outgrow, but it is a wonderful thing to start to regain alongside my kids. By creating these trays, you’re not only fostering curiosity but also nurturing a lifelong love for nature. Fostering a connection with the natural world is so important, and it’s something I want to instill in my kids.

I hope that you’ll try creating a nature tray as part of your homeschool this winter. I know that you will savor the experience as we have, and find creative ways to make it your own!

Do you have any favorite methods or ways to explore nature with the nature tray or nature table? We would love to hear more about how this method functions in your homeschool!

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