Often it is too cold to stay outside and write or draw in our nature journals. It helps to plan what to look at before you go outside. This list of winter nature journal prompts to guide and inspire you.

A List of Winter Nature Journal Prompts

• Identify tree twigs
• Scout out the different colors of winter
• Learn the circumpolar stars. These are the stars that are always in the sky since they circle the North or South pole.
• Look for signs of insects – galls, leaf miners and leaf rollers
• Identifying winter birds – with so few around they are easy to learn
• Begin to feed winter birds
• Which birds are still around?
• What are they eating?
• Identify winter grasses and plants
• Learn the difference between evergreen (or conifer) trees
• Look for winter seed heads and berries – Which are eaten last by birds and other animals?
• Look for signs of winter mammals – tunnels, trails, and tracks.
• Look for old birds nests in trees, shrubs and under house eaves
• Learn the difference between evergreen plants.
• Which plants stay green in winter?
• Sketch or photograph animals tracks in the mud and snow.
• Record the activity in the night sky.
• Record the moon phases, or the setting or rising sun
• Sketch or photograph trees silhouettes.
• Record signs of animal activity.
• Record the different types of pine cones
• Learn winter weather terms (National Weather Service)

More articles on Winter Nature Journals

The blog category, “Nature In Winter” contains all the blog posts that focus on the winter season. The category list can be found on the sidebar. The link below to the WInter Article Index is a curated list of posts on basic winter topics.

Winter Article Index

Best Books on Nature Journal Keeping and Drawing 

Keeping an Winter Nature Journal with Writing Prompts

Winter Photography Tips