nature study notebooks????

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  • May 13, 2010 at 2:52 am
    my3boys
    Participant

    I’m looking to start an official nature study with my 3 boys (11, 7 & 4) and would like them to each have their own notebooks (of course:)  Does anybody have a suggestion as to what type of notebook would hold up for sketching, photos, notes, etc.  I love binders, but then what type of paper would work best?  Would a sketch pad be best?  But, then what about notes?  Portability?

    Advice, please:)

    May 13, 2010 at 3:21 am
    Richele Baburina
    Participant

    Hi!  I remember a thread like this a bit back but couldn’t find it. 

    We love using the Moleskine notebooks but it’s just a personal preference (they have a gallery on their website to look through with people using them for a variety of media).  There is a range of acid-free papers and sizes and they have a pocket in the back.   We’ve found the size to be great to take a long with us and they just feel special so my guys love to use them. 

    HTH,

    Richele

    ps If you have a teacher’s discount card you can get them at B&N for a great price.

    May 13, 2010 at 3:58 am
    my3boys
    Participant

    Thanks Richele.  To get the idea in my head would you mind describing the size (I noticed they have a few to choose from) and what type you have?  Are they lined or blank pages? 

    Four yo is calling me…

    May 13, 2010 at 3:59 am
    desertbloom
    Member

    Hi. I am Mom to three boys and a girl. Our oldest is 7 and starting year 1 (AO). I recently had sewn fabric covers with handles to fit over 1 inch 3 ring binders. The kids picked the fabric so it feels like it’s really “theirs”. There is a zipper pouch to hold watercolors or colored pencils later (or twist up crayons for now). I bought a pad of good quality artists’s paper and three hold punched it. There are a couple clear page protectors for anything they want to stick in for later (leaves. etc) The great thing is they can use these mainly for nature notebooks but that it can be switched out and the cover can also fit an artist’s sketch pad and the binder can become the place to store sketches.

     

    May 13, 2010 at 12:55 pm
    thepinkballerina
    Participant

    We bought our *notesketch* from Rainbow Resource per someone’s suggestion from SCM, I believe. And we really like them. The paper has a blank space on the top and lines underneath for journaling. The paper isn’t thick, just regular notepaper. But it’s spiral bound so it’s easy to keep open when writing/drawing. My dd is 7 and she gets upset if she doesn’t draw it just right, so we use sketch paper to draw on, then cut out and paste into our notesketch.

    Here’s the link: http://rainbowresource.com/search.php?sid=1273754966-1840271

    They are $5.95 each.

    HTH!
    Tara

    May 13, 2010 at 1:05 pm
    Richele Baburina
    Participant

    We use the 5.25×8.25 sketch journals with blank pages (size large) for our nature notebooks.  They have the same format in a watercolor journal (200 gram cold-pressed) but my guys are usually working in ink or pencil.  The sketch journals seemed fine for their watercolor pencils, too.  

    We also use the blank Moleskine Cahier notebooks (pack of 3 with a soft-cover/7.5×10) for their drawing pads as the paper quality is high and they are more economical than, say, sketchpads from Millers.  They take those in the car or when we go someplace that requires them to sit quietly.  I use the lined Cahler notebooks in 7.5×10 for my prayer journal & book of mottoes.  My boys aren’t old enough for a book of mottoes.  These come in a variety of colors so we can easily tell whose is whose.

    We also have a bin of recycled printer paper and rolls of ends from the local newspaper that they use for doodling, etc. but like to have the nice ones for school.  

    So, that’s what works for us.  My guys have old military map cases that hold everything they want/need.  I tend to not make a big deal out of it but they usually get interested when they see me sketching in mine.  

    Desertbloom and Tara yours sound great.  

    Have a great time outside!

    Richele

    May 13, 2010 at 1:41 pm
    Esby
    Member

    It’s my turn to be a broken record. It’s wonderful to have nice notebooks (I often use Moleskines as already mentioned, or sketchbooks purchased at an art supply shop that catch my eye), but plain, regular paper you use for your printer is just fine to get started. Or, buy a sketchbook, but rip the pages out (some sketchbooks have perforated pages). The loose paper seems much less intimidating, especially for beginners, and there is no feeling of “I wrecked my sketchbook with this terrible drawing.”

    Later, you can either bind the loose sketches into a homemade book, keep the loose sketches in a box or portfolio, put them in a photo album, display on the fridge or in a frame, etc.

    If you don’t like the loose paper idea, I still recommend reminding the kids that sketchbooks of even accomplished artists are full of bad sketches, mistakes, blunders, etc. Not every page needs to be perfect. The best thing about the nature notebook is that you were out in nature observing it.

    Hope that pep talk isn’t out of line. I love to see any sketch – on a napkin, on a paper bag, or on the back of a receipt – rather than a really beautiful sketchbook that is empty.

    Esby…an admitted nature notebook fanatic, thanks to Charlotte Mason. 🙂

    May 13, 2010 at 2:10 pm
    my3boys
    Participant

    I knew I would get some great feedback from you guys.  I will be borrowing from all of you ideas and I thank you so much for responding.

    I’m super excited about our *Nature Study* but I must admit that I like to have all of my supplies ready before beginning most of our studies. So, I’m so glad I came here first for questions/suggestions/answers.

    You ladies are the best!

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