We follow a curriculum from @raisinglittleshoots called Exploring Nature with Children. Each week of the year has a different, seasonal theme to base your nature study around. This post is about Exploring Nature with Children in July.
- If you are on Pinterest you might like to check out my ENWC Pinterest board here.
- This blog post gives you some resources you may find helpful for each week of study
- As always these posts get added to each year as we go through the cycle of the curriculum again.
- Find Exploring Nature with Children calendar here.
- Check out Lynn from Raising Little Shoots beautiful, free Joy pages for each month here.
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Navigate July Ideas & Resources
July 2026 Exploring Nature with Children Dates
You can find the full calendar of dates for the year here. Under the ENWC dates you will find other dates you may wish to consider as they fall into these weeks including awareness days.
Beginning of July
- Plastic Free July – 1st–31st July
- International Joke Day – 1st July
- World UFO Day – 2nd July
6–12 July – 🌳 Summer Tree Study Week
- World Chocolate Day – 7th July
- Great British Pea Week – 6-12th July
- Don’t Step on a Bee Day – 10th July
- National Kitten Day – 10th July
13–19 July – 🌦️ Weather Week
- Shark Awareness Day – 14th July
- World Chimpanzee Day – 14th July
- World Orca Day – 14th July
- I Love Horses Day – 15th July
- Guinea Pig Appreciation Day – 16th July
- National Cherry Day (UK) – 16th July
- World Snake Day – 16th July
20–26 July – 🦋 Moth Week
- Space Exploration Day – 20th July
- National Marine Week (UK) – 25th July – 9th August
27 July–2 August – 🥾 Field Trip Week
- Global Tiger Day – 29th July
- International Day of Friendship – 30th July
Exploring Nature with Children Summer Tree Week
One of our favourite weeks of the Exploring Nature with Children year is Summer Tree Week.
Helpful Blog Posts
Wonderful Books
- Grow, Tree, Grow by Dom Conlon & Anastasia Izlesou
- Green: The Story of Plant Life on Our Planet by Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton
- Old Oak and Little Acorn by Elena Mannion and Erin Brown
- Early Nature Books for Fact Seeking Little Nature Lovers
- Spring Books – although a Spring post – lots that would be ideal to carry on into Summer too!
Free Downloads
Seed Dispersal Discussion
It’s a great time of year to see poppy seed heads for explosive seed dispersal and also burdock which is external animal dispersal. Often interesting to discuss similarities and differences between plants such as burdock and a thistle. Although in some ways have similar features, thistle relies more on wind dispersal. Great for bringing in deeper analytical thinking.
It’s also a wonderful time of year to look up into the trees at growing seeds. Exploring the similarities and differences between the helicopter seeds of the sycamore tree and the maple tree is perfect. The seeds look similar but with some distinctive differences as well as the trees having very different shaped leaves.
This year (2026) we haven’t spotted any acorns in the boughs of our local oak trees. It appears to be a lean year. Last year was a massive mast year where we are for acorns.
Don’t Step on a Bee Day – 10th July
Below you will find some bee related ideas and resources.
Helpful Blog Posts
Free Downloads
Great Books
The Bumblebee Garden by Dawn Casey and Stella Lim – you can find my full review and inside images of this book that depicts the life cycle of a bee here.
More bee book recommendations here.
Exploring Nature with Children Weather Week
Helpful Blog Posts
- Although focused on Spring, lots of the ideas in this post could be used for Summer too.
Free Weather Downloads
Shark Awareness Day – 14th July
Book Recommendation
- Sharks! Sharks! Sharks! by Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker
- Ocean Theme Play: Toy Shelfie Rotation Ideas and Resources
- Inspire My Play Tray Activity Ideas with Compartments – Ocean Theme
- Mini Playscapes – Small World – Ocean Play
Downloadable Activities
Space Exploration Day – 20th July
Helpful Blog Posts
- 8 Brilliant Books Set in Space
- Mini Playscapes – Small World – Space Explorer
- Space Podcasts for Kids on Yoto & Tonies: Fun Kids Science Weekly, NASA Curious Universe and Reach A Space Podcast for Kids
- Reading Rambles – TV Book Inspiration, Space Books & Spoonie Life
- Astrid and the Space Cadets – Attack of the Snailiens by Alex T. Smith
- Man on the Moon – Story Sack
- Aliens by Joalda Morancy & Amy Grimes – Neon Squid
- The Story Shop: Blast Off! by Tracey Corderoy and Tony Neal
Exploring Nature with Children Moth Week
Free Downloads
Helpful Blog Posts & Resources
- Moths – Caterpillars and Butterflies – Exploring Nature
- Minibeasts Topic – Nature Explorers – Ideas and Resources
- Caterpillar Resources
- Butterfly/ Moth Books here and here
More Nature Resources for July
Helpful Blog Posts
Exploring Nature with Children through the Year
You can find more resources for different weeks in the ENWC curriculum by clicking on the links below:
