Scavenger hunts are a great way for kids of all ages to have fun outside throughout the year! In this post I’ve rounded up all the best scavenger hunts for outside from around the internet. Including nature scavenger hunts, backyard scavenger hunts, seasonal scavenger hunts, holiday scavenger hunts and educational scavenger hunts. 

With this list you are sure to find a fun scavenger hunt to do with your kids outside no matter their age, the weather, your location or the time of year. It has never been easier to get outside and have some fun with your kids! 

Now more than ever, our little ones need some fun in the sun! These scavenger hunts are just what’s needed. 

To start things off, these Four Season Nature Walk Printables are wonderful for little ones! They encourage children to really immerse themselves in nature, noticing the sound of crunching leaves, the symmetry of butterflies, and the sounds of birds chirping. You can get yours FREE right here:

The Best Scavenger Hunts for Outside

Scavenger hunts are a great activity to do outside with kids of all ages! These free or affordable outdoor scavenger hunts will give you plenty of ideas to help you get outside and enjoy being with your kids! 

Nature Scavenger Hunts

Paint Swatch Scavenger Hunt by Skip to My Lou. With this simple and free nature hunt, kids can look for colors found in nature to match their paint swatches. Challenge them to see how many paint swatches they can find matches for! 

Tree Identification Scavenger Hunt by Edventures with Kids. With this scavenger hunt, kids can collect leaves from the trees they identify and save them in jars for their nature table. Younger kids can use the jars to find and identify trees in the backyard. 

Nature’s Shapes Scavenger Hunt at Pre-K Pages. The idea for this scavenger hunt is for preschoolers to use their prior knowledge to search for shapes out in nature. It’s a great activity to do after reading the book A Star in My Orange.

Bug Photo Scavenger Hunt by Playground Parkbench. Go on a bug hunt and give your preschooler a camera to document their nature finds! Then they can save them in a cute printable All About Bugs book.

Nature Scavenger Hunt with Sensory Card by Rhythms of Play. This nature scavenger hunt uses a sensory card as a hands-on list. It’s the perfect way for toddlers to learn about the things they find in nature. 

Outdoor Sketching Scavenger Hunt by Buggy and Buddy. This nature sketching scavenger hunt is the perfect addition to a nature study. It’s great for preschoolers, older kids, and even adults! 

Nature Scavenger Hunt for Toddlers by Life with My Littles. We all know how much toddlers love to collect things. This printable nature scavenger hunt will help toddlers look for other items found in nature. 

Backyard Scavenger Hunts

Garden Scavenger Hunt by Typically Topical. With a garden scavenger hunt, kids will explore a garden and the variety of natural treasures and tools found there. This would be a wonderful way to expose inner-city kids to gardening! 

Backyard Measurement Scavenger Hunt by Creative Family Fun. With a ruler, a clipboard, a pencil, and this printable, kids can get outside, practice measuring skills, and explore nature. What a fun, hands-on way to learn!

Flashlight Scavenger Hunt by Life is Sweeter by Design. What could be more fun than a flashlight scavenger hunt in your backyard at night?! This outdoor scavenger hunt takes advantage of the cooler summer nights to create a fun activity the whole family will enjoy.

Backyard Scavenger Hunt for Kids by Crafts on Sea. This cute printable kids can go on a scavenger hunt in their own backyard and color it in on the page. This printable also encourages kids to listen and use their other senses to explore nature. 

Neighborhood Scavenger Hunt by Crafty Morning. With this scavenger hunt, kids can start in the backyard and then walk around the neighborhood to find other things. It would be a great way to spice up a morning walk with the kids!

Rainy Day Scavenger Hunt by Primary Playground. When you are stuck inside on a rainy day, why not head outside to do a scavenger hunt? All you need is a raincoat, some rain boots, and this list to have fun outside on a rainy day!

Seasonal Scavenger Hunts

Spring Scavenger Hunt for Kids at Fun with Mama. With this printable scavenger hunt, young children can head outside and look for signs of Spring! It’s a great way to enjoy the great outdoors after a long, cold winter. 

Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt by Simple As That.  Going on a photo scavenger hunt is a fun way to collect nature finds without physically taking them. It’s the perfect activity for long summer days out in the sun!

Fall Scavenger Hunt by Teaching Mama. Get outside in the Fall with this fun printable scavenger hunt for kids! Kids can use these lists to check off the sights, sounds, and smells of Fall. 

Winter Scavenger Hunt by Edventures with Kids. It can sometimes be difficult to get outside during the winter when it is cold and snowy, and all you want to do is snuggle by the fire with a good book. This printable scavenger hunt is a fun activity to do with kids outside during the winter.

Holiday Scavenger Hunts

Canada Day Scavenger Hunt by Mommy Moment. Celebrate Canada Day with this family scavenger hunt! With a little bit of prep hiding some Canadian items around the backyard, this is a wonderful game to play during your Canada Day cookout. 

4th of July Scavenger Hunt by Organized 31. The 4th of July is a fun day in the United States. This printable scavenger hunt is the perfect activity for kids to do during a parade or backyard barbecue. 

Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt by Edventures with Kids. Celebrate Easter with the kids with this fun Easter Egg Scavenger Hunt! All you need to do to set this up is print out the clues and add them to your plastic Easter eggs.

Halloween Scavenger Hunt by Edventures with Kids. Have some fun next Halloween with this printable scavenger hunt! Just print out the list and start hunting your neighborhood for some common Halloween symbols. 

Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt by Just What We Eat. How much fun would it be to walk around your neighborhood during Christmastime and go on a Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt?! Print out this list for some holiday fun next Christmas. 

Educational Scavenger Hunts

Sight Word Scavenger Hunt by The OT Toolbox. This is a fun way for early readers to practice reading sight words. Simply hide some sight word cards around the yard for your preschooler to hunt and find or have them match up the cards to the chalk words on the sidewalk. 

Alphabet Scavenger Hunt by Mess for Less. With this outdoor scavenger hunt, kids can practice alphabet recognition and phonics. Simply make a large alphabet mat and have the children hunt the house and yard for objects that start with that letter or letter sound. 

Math in Nature Scavenger Hunts by Adventure in a Box. The post contains four different Math in nature scavenger hunt printables. Simply print and hunt for some math fun outside in nature. These are perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who are learning to count. 

Color Scavenger Hunt with Printable by Teach Beside Me. Take this fun printable on a color scavenger hunt through the yard! It’s a great way to get kids to notice all the colors around them in nature or the neighborhood. 

Rock Math Scavenger Hunt by The OT Toolbox. This is a really fun math scavenger hunt! Hide some number rocks around the yard and have your elementary-aged child find two rocks. Then they can use those two number rocks to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division.

More Fun Scavenger Hunts

Bird Scavenger Hunt by Mom on the Side. A bird scavenger hunt is a great way to keep kids engaged while on a nature hike or while visiting a bird sanctuary. Simply print out this checklist and take it along with you on your next nature excursion. 

Nocturnal Scavenger Hunt for Kids by Edventures with Kids. A nighttime nature scavenger hunt can be a lot of fun for families to do during the summer! There can be so many different things to see outside at night. Print out this list to see what you can find!

Zoo Scavenger Hunt by I Can Teach My Child. If you are taking the kids to the zoo this summer, print out this fun Zoo Scavenger Hunt to make sure you see all the animals!  

Camping Photo Scavenger Hunt for Teens by Meander Coast. This scavenger hunt is for the older kids. It’s a great way to get teens active while camping and away from technology. Simply download and print this list, then send them on a camping photo scavenger adventure!

Beach Scavenger Hunt by Buggy and Buddy. Take this free printable on your next beach trip for the kids to do a fun scavenger hunt! It would be a fun activity for the kids to do while taking a break from the waves!

I hope these 32 outdoor scavenger hunts keep you and your kids having fun outside all year long!

Be sure to check out these other scavenger hunts for some indoor fun!

Thank you so much for reading,

xo
Sarah

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