by Courtney Gupta

Turning your outdoor play into a scavenger hunt is a great way to take an everyday activity and make it exciting and engaging. The next time you’re playing outside or going on a walk, tell your child you want her to find certain things for you. This can be as simple as making things up as you walk and saying “find me”: 

• a leaf

• a flower

• something yellow

• a rock

• an animal

  
  

If your child is more independent, you can give them a paper copy of the scavenger hunt. You can print this one or just draw one on a piece of paper. Use clear pictures for children who can’t read. Even if you have a baby or toddler, this activity will help get you talking to your child as you play outside. Say, “we’re looking for something yellow. Yellow. Oh I see a yellow flower!” Point to the yellow flower. Let your baby touch it and smell it. Engage all her senses. 

Scavenger hunts develop your child’s problem solving skills, increase observational skills, and help strengthen her memory. As an added bonus, it also gets your child moving her body! Have her run to touch the tree she finds or skip when she finds a flower. 

If you’re ready for a different type of scavenger hunt, check out this texture hunt from PBS Kids!