Kids and nature connect for the perfect learning environment! Even a simple walk in the backyard or the neighborhood park can turn into hours or learning fun when little ones are encouraged to slow down, explore and ask questions! I have always loved scavenger hunts since I find that they help me direct some of the learning and exploration to more specific topics and even safer spaces within the yard or park.
Here is a fun, age-appropriate garden & nature themed scavenger hunt that you can download/print or use as inspiration to create your own! This nature themed scavenger hunt is a fun way to teach little ones about the outside world and make some fun spring memories at the same time!
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G is for Garden in this Garden & Nature Scavenger Hunt!
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Tips for Creating a Preschool Garden & Nature Scavenger Hunt with Printable!
Make the Scavenger Hunt Official--But, Simple! My girls had official scavenger hunt clipboard, and colored pencil sets that we only used for scavenger hunts or outdoor nature activities. Each child had a colorful clipboard and a box of colored pencils. I took along a simple drawstring bag to hold extra pencils--and water bottles, a couple of snacks and their clipboards if the walks were long.
You can even find cute explorer kits with backpacks, magnifying glasses, play binoculars, etc. I think the Dora-the-Explorer style sets are adorable--but the young kids' bags will probably become "too heavy" after about 4.3 minutes, and you will be carrying all the gear.
Dress for a Nature Adventure. The best part of a garden and nature scavenger hunt is the hunt. The kids will need to look under rocks or dig in the dirt. If there is a mud puddle--there will be puddle jumping. If something is gross on the trail--it will be stepped in. Ensure that the kiddos are wearing play clothes and shoes that can hold up to a bit of dirt, mud and weirdness.
Clothes, shoes, hands (and faces, and, if anything like my youngest daughter, entire bodies) will get dirty. Even if there is really not a lot of mud or visible "dirt," dress accordingly--and accept that a bath may be necessary after the hunt!
Keep the garden scavenger hunt clues simple for preschool ages. Simple pictures make great scavenger hunt clues! The printable example that I have uses some generic photos of leaves and trees. It also has a specific flower (a purple hyacinth) and a specific bird (a red cardinal) that I know the kids may see in our backyard or the park near our house.
Decide when you make the hunt if you want it to be easier (find any flower) or a little more difficult. Either way, keeping the search to about 10-15 simple, pretty common pictures to find works well for preschoolers! Click here to print our easy Preschool Garden Scavenger Hunt.
Make the Garden & Nature Scavenger Hunt Extra Educational. The scavenger hunt gives you the perfect time to talk about colors, numbers, sounds, smells, textures, and more in nature. You may find that you learn a thing to two (or stop to appreciate a thing or two) also as the curious little one think of hundreds of questions.
Skip the Phone Except to Take Digital Pictures of the Scavenger Hunt Finds. Kids love selfie scavenger hunts--especially with cool hunt finds like snails or worms. Most of our scavenger hunts "required" photo proof of the kids' finds. These photos served a couple of great purposes--they forced us to slow down and really take a look at their finds and gave me the chance to document some great (sometimes unexpected) memories.
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