Top Ten Ideas for an Outdoor Scavenger Hunt

What are the benefits of scavenger hunts?

As you’ll find out when you take the kids on an outdoor scavenger hunt, there are many benefits to this type of activity.

1. Scavenger hunts are easily adaptable. For example, if your child’s into numbers, you can ask them to hunt for seven leaves or 2×3 rocks. For a literacy-focused search, for example, you could ask them to find different objects containing the letter ‘l.’
2. It’s excellent for teamwork. Your child can divvy up the work with their siblings, or they could do the hunt with a friend.
3. It builds up kids’ problem-solving skills. Watch as your child tries to work out where to find the objects from the list. Your child will probably design a system to organize the hunt.
4. It’s a brilliant way to exercise your child’s mind and body as they try to solve the hunt and run around to find the objects from the list.
5. Scavenger hunts are educational. We’ve talked about the adaptability of the game as your child counts or spells, all leading to them learning new things or practicing a range of skills.
6. Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt is excellent for encouraging your child to explore nature while walking. How many items can they find? 1

2. Birds Scavenger Hunt

Your child will love to learn to identify the most common British birds with this scavenger hunt.

3. Texture Adventure

It puts a twist on the traditional scavenger hunt as it focuses on sensory experiences rather than objects; your child must find something rough or smooth, for example.

4. Local History Trail

This one’s probably for your older child, but younger kids can certainly come along to help find churches, milestones, and other local features. You could get your child to take pictures of their finds.

5. What Am I? Treasure Hunt Activity

Your child will love this different take on an outdoor scavenger hunt as they’ll have to solve ten rhyming treasure hunt riddles about things they can spot outside.

6. Beach Scavenger Hunt

The seaside is excellent for an outdoor scavenger hunt, whatever the weather!

7. Beach Nature Scavenger Hunt

This scavenger hunt is more accessible and aimed at your younger child.

8. Outdoor Mindfulness Scavenger Hunt

It is such an enjoyable activity! Your child is encouraged to look for things that make them happy or have their favorite color.

9. Colors Scavenger Hunt

Speaking of favorite colors, this scavenger hunt activity encourages your child to look for things with specific colors on them.

10. London Scavenger Hunt

Of course, you may not have thought about London when we said outdoors. But urban areas are excellent for scavenger hunts outside too! Your child can tick off all the prominent landmarks on a trip to London.