With changing temperatures and vibrant colors, autumn is a wonderful time to go on a scavenger hunt with children.
A scavenger hunt capitalizes on children’s natural curiosity about the world around them. It provides a fun way for them to learn about their world while building teamwork and sharpening their observational and problem-solving skills.
Here’s a suggestion from our proprietary Kiddie Academy Life Essentials® curriculum on a fall scavenger hunt you can do with your child:
Fall Scavenger Hunt
Materials needed:
Brown bags, or another bag or bin that materials can be collected in.
Preparation:
Patrol your scavenger hunt path prior to taking the children. Check for any unsafe items and ensure there are sufficient materials for the children to gather.
Directions:
Identify five things you should find on the scavenger hunt. Examples include leaves of each color, leaves on the ground, flowers and plants no longer in bloom, squirrels, pumpkins, apples, pinecones on the ground, etc.
Invite the children to join you on a scavenger hunt. There will be two parts to the hunt. The first is looking with your eyes. Look all around and identify all the signs of fall and the season changing as you cross the five items off your scavenger hunt list.
After the scavenger hunt, allow children to gather materials found to make a fall collage or encourage them to collect leaves, dirt, sticks, moss and any safe items included in a sensory table at home.
