How to Start a Nature Journal When You Can’t Get Outside
Many people discover nature journaling because they love the outdoors—hiking, gardening, birdwatching, or exploring wild spaces. But what happens when you can’t get outside?
Whether you’re recovering from illness, managing chronic pain, caring for someone at home, or simply living where access to nature is limited, you can still be a nature journaler.
Nature journaling isn’t about where you are. It’s about how you see.
When you learn to observe the living world—even through a window or a screen—you’ll find that the boundaries between “inside” and “outside” begin to fade.
Step 1: Redefine What Counts as Nature
Nature is not just the untouched wilderness—it’s the leaf that fell on your doorstep, the breeze through your window, the bird’s song echoing down the street.
You can begin by asking:
What living things share space with me right now?
How does light move across my room during the day?
What colors or sounds remind me that I’m part of something alive?
Nature journaling from indoors often teaches us to see subtle patterns we used to overlook—like how the same crow lands on the same telephone wire every morning, or how sunlight glows differently after rain.
Observation turns ordinary moments into wonder.
Step 2: Create a “Window Station”
Choose one spot where you can comfortably observe. This might be a favorite chair by a window, a balcony, or even your bed.
Set up a small “nature station” nearby:
A notebook or sketchpad
A few pens or pencils (keep them in a small pouch for easy access)
Binoculars or a magnifying glass if you have one
A small vase or jar for leaves, flowers, or natural objects brought indoors
By returning to the same view each day, you’ll begin to notice seasonal changes, animal habits, and light shifts that form their own quiet story.
Step 3: Bring Nature to You
If getting outside is difficult, invite nature indoors.
Try:
Growing herbs or succulents on a windowsill
Keeping a small terrarium or fish bowl
Hanging a bird feeder where you can see it
Collecting interesting leaves or shells from short walks or friends’ gardens
Even digital nature can be powerful. Watching live animal cams or nature videos can inspire sketches, reflections, or gratitude lists.
Psychological research (e.g., Kaplan & Kaplan, The Experience of Nature, 1989; Bratman et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2019) shows that simply viewing images of nature reduces stress and enhances mood.
Step 4: Keep It Simple
When energy or mobility are limited, journaling should feel gentle, not demanding.
You might write one sentence, make one sketch, or note one sound.
Prompts you can use:
“Today I noticed…”
“This reminds me of…”
“I wonder why…”
“The color that stands out to me is…”
These small reflections build awareness, gratitude, and presence—the heart of every nature journal.
Step 5: Record Feelings as Part of the Landscape
Your inner world is part of nature, too.
If you’re confined indoors, notice how your emotions shift with the weather, light, or sound. Record both the external and internal landscapes.
For example:
“Rain again today. The air feels heavy, but the sound is comforting. The sparrows look puffier, like they’re enduring with me.”
This integration of outer and inner observation is what makes your nature journal a record of relationship, not just data.
Step 6: Connect with Others
Join an online nature journaling community or follow others who share your love of noticing. Many groups, including those inspired by the Wild Wonder Foundation, welcome beginners and emphasize kindness and inclusion.
You might post a page, comment on another’s drawing, or simply attend an online “sit spot” event. Community reminds us that wonder can be shared—even across distance.
Step 7: Honor Your Season
There will be days when you can journal for ten minutes and days when you can’t lift a pen. Both are part of the rhythm of a living body.
Your limits are not failures; they are boundaries that invite creativity. Every small act of noticing is participation in creation itself.
