Walt Disney World is a popular destination for people of all ages, including homeschooling families. The parks offer many opportunities for nature study and there are plenty of other outdoor activities that you can enjoy with your family! In this blog post, we will explore fun ways to learn about nature at Walt Disney World.
Studying nature helps to teach children how to use their powers of observation, not to mention appreciation of the world around them. You may be thinking that studying nature at Walt Disney World can only be done at Animal Kingdom, but that’s not true! Let’s talk about how to get a dose of the great outdoors no matter where on Disney property you are.
How We Study Nature at Walt Disney World
Before we talk about nature in the parks, let me tell you what we do for our nature studies. Using their power of observation and art skills, we go outside into nature and sketch what we see. That’s all I require on while we’re out somewhere.
When we return home, they look up their item in the Handbook of Nature Study and add any interesting information to their pages. Sometimes they are able to get info from a Cast Member about the animal or plant, eliminating the need to research.
We like to do it this way because they are always aware of nature wherever we go, and it doesn’t take long to sketch it in their notebook and label it. Madison always takes longer than the boys but she really likes to draw. Logan would rather Google it than look it up in the Handbook so he does that instead.
Studying Nature in the Disney World Parks
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is the no-brainer place to observe nature. There are interesting animals and lush plants everywhere. One safari ride will give the kids more than enough to sketch forever. Over in Asia, there are the really cool monkeys on the island that are great for observing and drawing.
Asia and Africa both have animal trails to wander down and see the different species in the natural habitats. The bird show in Asia is phenomenal as well. There is plenty of flora and fauna to immerse yourself in around every corner. The train ride to Rafiki’s Planet Watch area is not to be missed. A day at Animal Kingdom definitely more than covers your nature adventures!
Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom Park has nature too. The moat around Cinderella Castle and by Casey’s Corner is home to many a plethora of ducks. The landscaping at all the parks is unparalleled and easy to sketch. This is actually our favorite place to study plants, outside of Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival.
This park also lends itself to wildlife observation. It’s a great place to sit quietly and watch squirrels, ducks, and wild rabbits on a bench near the edge of the water. People watching is great too but that’s not nature, I suppose.
One of our favorite Magic Kingdom nature activities is to grab a snack and go over to Tomorrowland to see the artificial palm trees that fold up at night. You’ll find them between the People Mover and Space Mountain and they close at sundown. They remain closed at night so if you miss them closing you can always see them in the day and revisit at night when they are closed.
Epcot
Epcot was created for educational entertainment. Future World, the Land, and the Seas areas are perfect for nature exploration, especially if there’s rain in the forecast since they are indoor attractions.
Living with the Land takes guests on a ride through Disney’s aquaponic gardens and explains how they use the land to support their restaurants on property. The Seas is also a great area for nature studies with all the ocean life. There are often hands-on activities going on in the Seas several times a day. I highly recommend this area at some point in your trip.
The Flower and Garden Festival is also a great time to study and learn a ton about flowers, butterflies, and other insects. If you can, plan a trip during this springtime festival!
Hollywood Studios
There’s not as much to see as far as nature at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but Toy Story Land does make a fun area to talk about nature we can find in our own yards. The landscaping is interesting and visiting the area is on most families must-do lists making waiting in line there inevitable. It’s the perfect time to sketch and chat!
We only do nature studies once a week so covering them in the Disney Parks can be combined easily with other adventures. We throw our sketchbooks in the backpack and we’re off.
Make sure to check out the examples of nature around your resort or resort hop to see what they have at a different one. Since each is themed differently, there is a wide variety of different nature items at each one. The Polynesian is perfect for tropical studies
What is your favorite piece of nature at the Disney Parks?
