When you go outside for nature study, there are so many things you could take with you to help.

You see a lot of different options as to, oh, this equipment will help you do this and this equipment is necessary.

It can be very overwhelming and confusing.

Wouldn't it be great if we could just talk to somebody who has done nature study for many years

and has narrowed it down to say,

these are the tools that are most helpful. Well, we're going to do that today. We're going to talk with Karen Smith,

who has decades of experience doing nature study, and she's going to tell us her favorite nature study tools. Welcome to the Simply Charlotte Mason podcast. I'm Sonia Schaefer.

Today, Karen Smith is joining us. Karen, it's good to have you back. We want to talk about nature

study tools. And when I think of tools, I'm thinking, you know, I get this mental picture of hauling a trailer full of equipment with you as you try to go down the path.

It's like, no wait, the trailer's in the parking lot.

You know, we need to take it back there.

What is really the best kinds of tools to

take with us? Is it just our notebook? What are your favorite tools? Let's start with the ones

that are handy to have, but maybe not totally necessary to have with you when you are in the field. So these are

some of your favorites, but we can pick and choose if we need to. Yes. Okay, sounds good. So a

magnifying glass, a very basic tool. They come in all different sizes and powers, magnification powers.

Choose ones that fit your family.

Younger kids, I recommend that you get ones that have larger lenses in them, so it's easier

for your child to use.

There are pocket-sized ones that have multiple lenses that you can stack so you can

change your magnification. And what kinds of things would you use that for? pocket-sized ones that have multiple lenses that you can stack so you can get, you can change

your magnification.

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