It was a beautiful fall day. Perfect, really. The sun was bright, the sky was clear, and the air was crisp.
We were having a moment that our hearts and minds needed rest from, what felt like, a chaotic school day. And, with a fall day as perfect as this, I knew a walk would require us to pivot and enjoy all the beauty that fall brings.
Either it is my background in education, my love for motherhood or my “Go Big or Go Home” attitude but not just any walk would do. I just couldn’t resist grabbing my sketch book, a permanent marker and colored pencils to create a Fall Scavenger Hunt.
We had the loveliest little time, strolling through our neighborhood. Although, I am sure our neighbors might have thought we were a little sketchy when gasping with excitement and taking photos with the items we found but memories were made and THAT is the best part!
I am so excited to share this with you and your family! Whether you need a break from your homeschooling day, looking to get the kids moving after sitting all day or wanting a weekend activity, now it’s easier for you with our free printable!
Living with limited outdoor space? If you’re not in a neighborhood like ours or if you don’t own acreage, taking a hike at a state park, visiting a community park near you will do or make trips to a pumpkin patch or apple orchard extra special.
Why we love scavenger hunts
- Family Connection: The memories that an activity like this creates, are so very precious. As parents, we have limited years to foster a sense of creativity and wonder. We strive for moments like this, when we can spend time and work together as a family.
- Physical and Mental Health Benefits: We have experienced walks being so good for our hearts and our minds. Often when we return, we feel more energized, refreshed and positive. Our spirits are lifted and we are ready to tackle the rest of our day. The natural vitamin D is a bonus!
Variations
make it a game
Split your family evenly into groups and see what team can be the first to find all the items. Challenge suggestions:
- What team completed the hunt in the least amount of time? No cheating!
- What team collected the most leaves?
- Who can correctly name all the types of clouds that were seen?
take a selfie scavenger hunt
Capture memories by taking selfies with your family and finds.
go further into learning
I included a few learning and discussion opportunities to ensure that the scavenger is suitable for elementary and middle school aged students. But, you could make this scavenger hunt more educational, for any age group, if you are using it to compliment your homeschooling curriculum. Some discussion ideas:
- What is the life cycle of an acorn?
- What tree do acorns fall from?
- Of the acorns you collected, what percentage lost their cap?
- Of all the leaves you collected, how many were red? Draw a graph.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR DOWNLOADING AND PRINTING
- Click HERE for your free printable.
- For quick printing, click on the print button.
- To download for later use, click on the download button.
