What is nature study?

What is a nature study? Well kinda answers itself but sometiumes I think we as parents over think things. I will give you my point of view then you can go to Charlotte Masons idea. To me-In a time where children are so into video games and computers and (gasp) obesity nature study is a way to get them outside and learn a few things. Seems my children like knowing how the world works and how things fit together and well they like to just have fun. I think nature study should not be forced. You may have an idea but children tend to see things and get distracted but as long as they are learning then it's all good. Start with simple things like going for a walk and point stuff out like webs, bark on trees and the veins in the leaves. Just go play. I love to take pictures of all they see. You can make a journal or just use a plain notebook. Let kids touch, see, smell, create things from nature. Nature teaches us so much but sometimes we get too busy to see that. We worry about getting math and language and geography done all the while cooping the kids up and forgetting that they need to have nature in their lives. To me that is pretty much a nature study. You can add some structure but not too much in my opinion because then it is just work again. So hopefully that answers Lindas question and maybe anyone elses. Just go outside play with your kids and see the world in a new way.