A Year of Nature Journaling Prompts

Daily Nature Journaling Prompts

Let's celebrate nature and put in some “pencil miles”!** Each day this year, create a page in your nature journal based on that day’s prompt. Scroll down for links to more resources for this month’s prompts.

BONUS: Join this month’s host, longtime nature journaler and ecoreportage artist, Robin Lee Carlson, for a FREE live online class, the Language of Shadows, on 10/25/25 at 10am Pacific.

We can’t wait to see your work! Share it with us by tagging us @wildwonderfoundation using #naturejournalingoctober and we’ll share with the community! Tag a friend in your post to invite them to join in the fun!

PS: Looking for prompts from a prior month? Pop to the ARCHIVE at the bottom of this page!

** “Drawing is not a gift—it is a skill. You can learn to draw. You just have to put in the pencil miles.”

—John Muir Laws

Nature Journaling October Prompts

Some of the prompts below link to additional free resources and/or tutorials. Special thanks to this month’s host teacher Robin Lee Carlson.
Be sure to sign up for the special live online free class, Language of Shadows with Robin! (Registration link coming soon!)

1. Shadows Cast by Leaves

2. Shadows Cast on Leaves

3. Overlapping Shadows

4. One Plant’s Shadow Throughout the Day

5. Shadows that Reveal Contours

6. Moon Shadows (Harvest Moon Tonight)

7. A Surprising Shadow

8. Create a Collection of Shadow Colors

9. Insect Shadows

10.  Draw a Tree by Only Drawing Shadows

11.  Unusual Shadow Colors

12.  Shadow Outlines

13.  Exploring Texture: Shadows in Ink

14.  Exploring Texture: Colored Pencil Shadows

15.  Exploring Texture: Watercolor Shadows

16.  Describe a Shadow in Words

17.  Draw Rocks by Only Drawing Shadows

18.  Shadows with Sharp Edges

19.  Shadows with Blurry Edges

20.  Bird Shadows

21.  Shadows in Motion

22.  Your Own Shadow

23.  Describe a Shadow Discovery in Words

24.  Draw a Landscape by Only Drawing Shadows

25.  *Language of Shadows: free live online class, 10/25/25, 10am Pacific

26.  Revisit the Day 3 Plant Throughout the Day

27.  Intricate Shadows

28.  Shadows in Water Ripples

29.  Reflected Colors in Shadows

30.  Cloud Shadows

31.  Hidden in the Shadows

 

*Live online class with Robin Lee Carlson! Register here.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NATURE JOURNALING

ARCHIVE: Nature Journaling Prompts

Click each month to explore the prompts and link to additional resources.

Nature Journaling January Prompts
Nature Journaling February Prompts
Nature Journaling March Prompts
Nature Journaling April Prompts
Nature Journaling May Prompts
Nature Journaling June Prompts
Nature Journaling July Prompts
Nature Journaling August Prompts
Nature Journaling September Prompts