Kids By Nature

Materials & Supplies

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You do not need to buy everything at once, and you don't need a farm. This list is organised so you can gather term-by-term, and most weeks use things you already have, can forage, or can improvise.

The "start with almost nothing" kit

If you only get these five things, you can run the program:

  1. A blank nature journal per child (plain paper, no lines).
  2. Pencils + a small watercolour set.
  3. A hand lens / magnifier (cheap is fine).
  4. A few pots + potting/seed-raising mix (or a garden bed).
  5. A worm farm or compost bin (or a DIY worm tower / bokashi bucket).

Everything else can be added as each term calls for it.

Always-handy basics

Jars and containers (saved), string/twine, sticky labels, a ruler & tape measure, kitchen scales, a thermometer, scissors, sticky tape & glue, old newspaper, and a "treasure box" for nature finds.

Term 1 — The Great Harvest

  • Nature journal + nature-table tray (Wk 1)
  • Produce to harvest/preserve; jars & bags for preserving (Wk 2–3)
  • Bread + a damp/dry container for the mould test (Wk 3)
  • Paper for seed packets; dry seed heads (Wk 4)
  • Bee-friendly seedling/herb; bamboo + a tin for the insect hotel (Wk 5)
  • A good local plant ID guide / First Nations seasons reference (Wk 6)
  • A bucket for greywater; a jar + small plants for a terrarium (Wk 7)
  • Worm farm or compost bin; samples to bury (leaf, paper, plastic, apple) (Wk 8)
  • Autumn/winter seedlings; rubbing-alcohol for leaf chromatography (Wk 9)
  • Ingredients for a harvest meal (Wk 10)

Term 2 — Soil, Seeds & Slowing Down

  • Clear straight-sided jars for the soil test (Wk 1)
  • Bags for leaf collection / leaf-mould materials (Wk 2)
  • Mushroom grow kit + a dark cupboard; dark paper for spore prints (Wk 3)
  • Root-veg seeds; celery + food colouring (Wk 4)
  • Insulation scraps (wool, foil, foam) + jars for the warmth test (Wk 5)
  • Beeswax + wick (candles); a torch + globe/orange (Wk 6)
  • Basic mending kit: needle, thread, buttons, fabric patches (Wk 7)
  • Bread/soup/broth ingredients; jars for preserved lemons (Wk 8)
  • Citrus fruit; red cabbage for the acid indicator; cloves (Wk 9)
  • Seed catalogues / your saved seeds for planning (Wk 10)

Term 3 — The Quiet Earth Wakes

  • Seed trays + seed-raising mix; labels (Wk 1)
  • A clear jar + bean for the bean-in-glass (Wk 2)
  • Egg candler / fresh eggs, or sprouting jars + microgreen seeds (Wk 3)
  • Bird-bath/nest-box materials; bird ID guide (Wk 4)
  • A tub/liner for a frog pond; pond plants (Wk 5)
  • Weather-station bits: funnel + ruler (rain gauge), thermometer (Wk 6)
  • Bee/butterfly seed mix (Wk 7)
  • A tree or shrub to plant (Wk 8)
  • Kite materials (sticks, plastic/paper, string) (Wk 9)
  • Mulch for planting out (Wk 10)

Term 4 — Bloom, Buzz & Build

  • Summer flower & veg seeds (Wk 1, 5)
  • Insect-raising kit (butterfly/lady beetle) optional (Wk 2)
  • Build materials: timber or pallets, screws, a drill (adult-led) (Wk 3)
  • A barrel/wicking-bed kit; solar oven/dehydrator materials (Wk 4)
  • Salad/summer crop ingredients (Wk 5)
  • Your state's bushfire/heat-plan resources (CFA/RFS) (Wk 6)
  • A clear night + a star chart/app (Wk 7)
  • Natural dye materials (onion skins, eucalyptus, flowers); wool/fibre (Wk 8)
  • Jars/ribbon/seed packets for garden gifts (Wk 9)
  • A folder/binding for the year-end portfolio (Wk 10)

Safety notes

  • Never taste wild plants or fungi without expert confirmation.
  • Adult supervision for tools, fire, candles, the stove and the drill.
  • Wash hands after handling soil, compost, worms and animals.

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