Children's Activities: Garden Scavenger Hunt

Recommended for ages 3-8

Looking for an activity to get children outdoors? A Scavenger Hunt is a great way to make garden exploration fun and to encourage children to engage with nature. Adapt the hunt to whatever you have in your area. Want to encourage sensory play? Try adding items like “bird song,” “sweet smelling flower,” “crumbly dirt,” a “sweet strawberry / cherry tomato / etc” that help children use all 5 senses.

What you’ll need:

Scavenger+Hunt+Template.jpg
  • A template like the one included here or here

  • Pencil or marker

What you’ll do

1. Add desired items to your hunt template and print it out for each child. For younger children, include an image of the item and explain what they are going to look for.

2. If you include plants, flowers, insects, make sure to let kids know that they don’t have to pick or catch anything, they can just check the item off the list on paper!