Nature Picture Scavenger Hunt

Step by step

1. 1Print out the sheet with 6 to 8 easy-to-find items (leaf, pebble, flower, bird...).
2. 2Before heading out, name each picture together and build excitement (“we're going to find them all!”).
3. 3Walk like little explorers, letting your child hold the sheet with eyes and ears wide open.
4. 4With each find, tap the picture with a loud “FOUND IT!” and touch the real thing when possible. Anything you can't find becomes your mission for next time.
5. 5Bring back one or two treasures (a leaf, a pebble) to compare with their pictures back home.
6. 6Try it again with seasonal sheets, or add sounds to listen for (“a singing bird”).

What it builds

Spotting real-life things from a picture sheet teaches your child something huge: pictures represent the real world. This link between images and reality is what later gives meaning to books, photos, and written words.