Need something FREE to Do This Weekend With the Kids? Try This Nature Scavenger Hunt!

If you’re looking for fun activities to do with your kids, grab this FREE Printable Nature Scavenger Hunt. Perfect for fall or spring!

Nature Scavenger Hunt for Kids (Grab a FREE Printable Too!)

Laura, here! I’m always on the lookout for fun activities to do with my kids – but don’t you feel like just leaving the house these days costs like $100?! So, I’m especially on the lookout for FREE activities for my kids that get us up and moving or help us be creative.

This nature scavenger hunt for kids is perfect because it costs nothing (yay!), and got us out of the house with a bit of purpose!

We did this one back in the fall, but you could use this printable in the spring too (or even winter if it’s still cold where you live!).

Why we created this FREE Printable Scavenger Hunt:

One of our designers, Lauren, has young kids also and created this ADORABLE free printable to use on your scavenger hunt. It is great for all ages and feels kind of like a bingo card so kids can really set out on a mission. We all know that kids can get a little distracted, so this gives them a purpose while you’re out exploring. Plus, there’s a bonus section at the bottom that uses a few more of their senses for an awesome experience.

Planning for a Kids Nature Scavenger Hunt

Going on a nature walk is one of the few totally no-cost, FREE activities there are to do with kids of any age. For this, you really don’t even need our handy printable if you don’t have access to a printer!

Here are few tips to make this hunt a success:

• Plan ahead for the weather – no one wants to be too hot, cold, or wet!
• Bring some snacks and water if you’re going to be out awhile
• HAVE FUN!
• Consider a first aid kit (trips, bumps, and bruises can easily happen and nothing fixes a boo-boo better than a character band-aid!)

Not sure where to head on a walk? Check your local trail system for a large open space, walk around your block, or start in your own backyard!

What Should You Include on your scavenger hunt?

Some of what you’ll find depends on the part of the country you’re in. I’m in Colorado so we’ve got a pretty wide variety of wildlife! If you want to create your own scavenger hunt for kids instead of using our printable, you can tailor it to your area and the age of your kids.

For older kids, you might get more specific with types of trees (for example, find an Oak tree, an Aspen tree, a Willow, etc). If you’ve got an animal lover you might include different animals to spot (squirrels, chipmunks, various types of birds, or a wide variety of insects).

You can also add some fun to your scavenger hunt and let your kids collect a few things they see along the way. My girls are BIG into collecting (do you have a rock collection, too?!) so we brought along a picnic basket I grabbed at the dollar spot a few years ago.

You can use any sort of little basket or bag to collect things like rocks, pine cones, grass – whatever your little treasure hunters want to save. A fun idea is to take a piece of masking tape or duct tape and place it on your child’s wrist backwards so the sticky side is out. They can collect little bits of nature and stick it on to make their own little bracelet.

Another idea to do more with your collection once you’re home is to use some clear contact paper and make a little sticky collage on a wall or window. I cut a square piece and used painter’s tape to hold it in place on the wall, and then my daughter (she was about 18 months in this picture) was able to stick her little treasures to it. So fun!

Looking for some other FREE or low-cost activities for kids? Here are some of our other ideas:

• Homemade Sidewalk Chalk Paint
• Yarn Obstacle Course (this one is an oldie – see how little Laurie’s kids are?! But such a fun idea!)
• Monthly Kids Workshop at Home Depot (this is free!)
• Make Homemade Play Dough