The first thing many people say when they open a nature journal is,
“I don’t know what this is.”

They say it as an apology.
As if curiosity must come with credentials.
As if noticing only counts when it ends in the right answer.

But nature does not ask to be named before it is known.

A child can sit beneath a tree for an hour and never once wonder what it is called. They notice the way the branches hold the sky. The roughness of the bark against their palm. The small insects moving in and out of its cracks. They notice shade. Sound. Stillness.

That is already learning.

Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that knowing means identifying. That the goal is accuracy. That observation is only valuable if it leads to a label.

In nature journaling, we gently turn that idea upside down.

Instead of asking, What is this?
We begin with, What do I notice?

The color is not just green, but many greens.
The leaves tremble even when the air feels still.
The trunk leans slightly, as if it chose this angle on purpose.

None of that requires a field guide.

When we slow down and focus on noticing, something important happens. Pressure lifts. The page becomes a place to explore instead of perform. The journal becomes a record of relationship, not correctness.

This is especially important for children.

When a child feels free to draw a tree without naming it, they are practicing trust in their own perception. They are learning that their way of seeing matters. Over time, names may come. Identification often follows curiosity, not the other way around.

The same is true for adults.

If you have ever hesitated to start a nature journal because you felt you “should know more,” this is your invitation to begin anyway. Sit with one living thing. Look longer than feels comfortable. Write down what you see, what you wonder, what you feel.

You are not behind.
You are right where noticing begins.

If you want support in building a nature journaling practice that values curiosity over correctness, Wild Raven Learning offers gentle classes and prompts for children, adults, families, and learning groups.

No expertise required.
Just a willingness to look.