Nature Scavenger Hunt Preschool Activity

A twist on an old classic, the a nature scavenger hunt is the perfect way to enjoy a sunny day and explore the natural beauty of your neighborhood at the same time. Preschoolers can spend time alone strolling with mom and dad, or invite some friends along and turn the nature scavenger hunt into a friendly competition. Either way, a nature scavenger hunt makes it easy for preschoolers to take a break from the busyness of their daily routine and stop and smell the roses, literally!

What You Will Need

Paper Sacks

A Scavenger Hunt List for each participant*

*When preparing your nature scavenger hunt list include descriptions that incorporate color, size, weight, length, etc. so your preschooler can practice recognizing these basic concepts. Suggestions for the list are: a green leaf, a red flower petal, a big pine cone, a short twig, a small rock, a thin blade of grass, a long stick, a heavy rock, dry dirt and a tiny pebble.

What to Do

Step 1:

Arm each preschooler with his/her own paper sack and nature scavenger hunt list.

Step 2:

Set a time-limit for the nature scavenger hunt activity. Twenty to thirty minutes should be ample time.

Step 3:

Under adult supervision, take a walk through your neighborhood and search for the items on the nature scavenger hunt list, instructing your preschooler to put the items he/she finds into his/her sack. (Since most preschoolers can not read yet, make sure to continually repeat each item they are looking for.) If several preschoolers are participating, you may want to choose a park or other secure location for this preschool activity in order to allow participants more freedom to safely explore.

Step 4:

Choose a nice patch of grass to examine and share your findings. If the nature scavenger hunt was a competition, award the winner with a nature-related prize. A butterfly net or some gummy worms are sure to put a smile on the winner’s face!

Talk About Your Nature Scavenger Hunt Activity

Ask participants to hold up an item from their sack and describe it. Encourage them to describe the color, weight, size, etc., helping them whenever necessary with the descriptions. If the nature scavenger hunt has been a group activity, pass the items around to each preschooler so they can have a closer look.

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